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UK Defense Ministry: Russian air force underperforms in Ukraine

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Russia's air force continues to underperform in Ukraine due to air defense and dispersed basing caused by the threat of strikes on Russian airfields, the UK’s Defense Ministry reported on Feb. 16.

Russia likely keeps a largely intact fleet of 1,500 crewed military aircraft operating mainly on Russian territory, despite losing roughly 130 aircraft since Feb. 24, 2022, the ministry said.

However, Russia is unlikely to launch a large-scale air campaign as it would suffer “unsustainable” losses under the current battlefield conditions, the report read.

Russia continues to deploy a similar number of aircraft as it has for many months, according to the report.

Ukraine needs Western aircraft to put an end to massacre of civilians, achieve victory
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The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

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