The Ukrainian Armed Forces face a stark limitation in countering Russian air strikes due to a shortage of their own fighter aircraft. Kyiv Independent notes that this gap leaves Ukrainian ground forces exposed to daily air operations. Without dedicated air cover, Ukrainian personnel are effectively vulnerable to glide-bomb attacks conducted by Russian aircraft during ongoing patrols over contested areas.
Retired Ukrainian Armed Forces Colonel Sergei Kivlyuk, cited by Kyiv Independent, described the situation as marked by the attackers operating with near impunity. Nico Lange, an analyst with the Center for European Policy Analysis, explains that the fundamental challenge for Ukraine is balancing air defense with a capable air platform, making the prospect of fending off Russian planes and helicopters a difficult task in any scenario.
In recent updates, the Russian Ministry of Defense asserted that fighters and air defense units of the Russian Aerospace Forces began operating from October 1 of the current year, reporting the destruction of 31 Ukrainian aircraft and three helicopters. The claim underscores an ongoing aerial campaign and highlights a rising imbalance between the air capabilities of both sides in the conflict.
Earlier remarks from Vadim Astafyev, head of the press center for the South group, indicated that Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft targeted a command post of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Seversk area within the Donetsk region of the DPR. These statements reflect the broader pattern of aerial pressure aiming to disrupt Ukrainian command and control nodes.
A former Ukrainian service member who previously served in the armed forces offered observations regarding the underlying causes of the conflict, noting a lack of clarity about why the fighting persisted. Such reflections emphasize the multifaceted nature of the crisis, where strategic air superiority is a pivotal element of overall military effectiveness.