Russian air force's aversion to risk hampers ground troop support, says UK Defence

The British Ministry of Defence tabled their findings on Saturday. UK specialists ascertain that the Russian military air division lacks the capability to consistently support its ground troops engaged in Ukraine.

This stems from a palpable aversion to risk. British intelligence indicates that the total number of combat aircraft estimated to have been lost by Russia since the commencement of the invasion in February 2022 stands at 82 aircraft.

The Ukraine's Armed Forces General Staff corroborated such figures following the take-down of a Russian Su-34 fighter jet over Lugansk on January 30, referred to as Fullback in NATO code. This represents a significant casualty for the Russian military.

Now, as evaluated by British intelligence, Russian aviation is exercising exceptional care. "There is a tangible likelihood that the tactical air formations of the Russian Air Forces lack the capacity to extend ongoing support to Russian ground forces" - report the British.

They purport that Russia employs techniques enabling aircraft to be stationed further from threats. However, this also places them at a greater distance from the troops they are supporting. This likely suggests the Russians are striving to circumvent risk. "These actions may suggest the effective operation of Ukrainian air defence units and highlight the chronic inadequacy of the Russian Air Force to secure air dominance" - the British Ministry of Defence surmises.