Su-30SM of the Russian Aerospace ForcesUkraine inherited a rich arsenal of weapons from the USSR – one of the most powerful groups of Soviet troops was stationed on its territory. Despite the fact that for all the years of independence there was a sale of this property abroad, impressive stocks and unpretentiousness of Soviet combat systems during storage allowed many samples of weapons to be returned to service after the start of the confrontation with Russia. In particular, this applies to air defense and aviation.
At the beginning of the special operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, this equipment was dispersed to various combat positions and locations. In this regard, the destruction of air defense and aviation assets was carried out during patrolling and strikes based on intelligence data. As indicated in the telegram channel Fighterbomber, by now it has been possible to eliminate approximately 60% of the S-300 and Buk air defense systems.
There are still 20 S300PT/PS divisions in service with the AFU, one S-300V1 division and up to 20 Buk-M1; most likely, the S-125M1 air defense systems have been completely destroyed. The airspace is monitored by about 30 radars in Ukraine, NATO AWACS aircraft operating over Poland and Romania, and intelligence officers, including unmanned type, working over the Black Sea.
The S-300 and Buki remaining in service with the AFU do not perform the task of covering strategically important objects – they are tasked with detecting and defeating Russian combat aircraft. This is an easier mission, since the SAMs are not tied to a specific area, they can work from ambushes during the departure of the aircraft of the VKS of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, including guidance radar for a short time.
There are about 25 Su-27P/UB and MiG-29 fighters in combat aviation, which alternately replace each other on combat duty, taking place outside the zone of influence of Russian air defense systems and under the cover of their own air defense systems. There are about 5 Su-25 attack aircraft and about 30 Mi-8 multipurpose helicopters and Mi-24 attack vehicles, over 10 Bayraktar TB2 UAVs. Apparently, the fleet of Su-24M front-line bombers and Su-24MR scouts has been completely destroyed. All other aircraft, including even the AN-2 and Yak-52, are used to monitor ground targets and transport personnel and cargo.
As noted on this resource, in general, the air defense and combat aircraft available to the AFU remain an impressive force, which does not allow us to say that the VKS of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have achieved complete air supremacy. So far, it is operational and tactical in nature. If you try to take out all this arsenal during a massive raid, then you should be prepared for commensurate losses in aircraft, which, obviously, the Russian command is not ready to go.
In this regard, the development of the situation provides for the methodical destruction of the aircraft of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine both in the air and when it is detected at airfields. At the same time, there was information earlier that Ukrainian aircraft could take off from military airfields outside the country - for example, from airfields in Romania, where several attack aircraft and fighters of the Ukrainian Air Force "departed" at the very beginning of the special operation.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, since February 24, 164 aircraft, 125 helicopters and over 800 drones, including dozens of Turkish-made UAVs, have been destroyed in Ukraine and Donbas. 303 air defense systems of various types, including S-300 complexes supplied from abroad, have also been eliminated.
