- A-50 reconnaissance aircraft destroyed
- Ukrainian claims damage Russian airpower
- Analysts cite significant operational loss
Analysts predict that the Ukrainian military’s claim of having shot down a Russian military reconnaissance aircraft over the Sea of Azov would deal severe damage to Moscow’s air power.
General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, chief of the Army, stated that an A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft and an Il-22 air control center were “destroyed” by the air force.
The A-50 identifies air defenses and coordinates Russian aircraft targets.
Recent Ukrainian efforts to advance significantly against Russian forces in the southeast have been fruitless.
The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence stated in a briefing on 23rd February that Russia “likely” possessed six operational A-50s. Construction of the aircraft may require hundreds of millions of dollars.
Officials from Russia stated that they had “no information” regarding the attacks; however, prominent pro-war Russian commentators have estimated that the loss of an A-50 would be catastrophic.
“If Ukraine confirms the Russian losses, the popular military channel Rybar predicts another black day for the Russian air force.”
Another channel reported that “friendly fire” from the Russians struck the Il-22 command center. It was reportedly successful in landing back in Russia.
Strategic Success in Azov
The Ukrainian air force “excellently planned and executed” an operation in the Azov region, southeast of the country, according to General Zaluzhnyi’s Telegram message.
In a Telegram message, Ukrainian Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk commented on the downing of the aircraft but provided no further information.
BYPOL, a Belarusian opposition group, alleged in February of last year that a drone attack near Minsk had damaged an A-50 military aircraft.
If confirmed, air war specialist Justin Bronk, at the defense thinks tank Rusi, said that losing an A-50 would be “extremely operationally significant and embarrassing” for the Russian air force.
“Key command, control, and surveillance platform” is how he described the A-50, which provides “long-range early warning and target information about Ukrainian low-flying aircraft” to Russian aircraft and surface-to-air missile systems.
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Furthermore, he stated that the Russian Air Force operated “a negligible number” of these aircraft and “even fewer trained mission crews,” which would render the loss of one catastrophic.
If confirmed, he stated that the Ukrainian Patriot air defense missiles would be “engaged in a very long-range engagement,” which would “exceed the theoretical capabilities of the weapon to their limit.”
According to Frank Gardner, the apparent development was “a small grain of good news for Ukraine in the midst of an awful lot of bad news.”
He stated that the overall situation in Ukraine is “not looking good,” given the country’s ammunition shortages, low morale among its forces, and Russia’s continued assaults on its infrastructure.
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