(FiveNation.com)- According to UK military intelligence, the Russian Air Force has “underperformed” throughout the invasion of Ukraine, leading to Russia’s “very limited campaign success.”
The latest update from the UK Defense Ministry concluded that the air force’s failure to deliver consistent air power “is likely one of the most important factors behind Russia’s very limited campaign success.”
British officials believe Russian aircraft were unable to gain “full air superiority,” failed to operate in a “risk-averse” manner, and rarely penetrated deep behind Ukrainian lines.
Most of Russia’s air combat training, ministry officials explained, failed to develop “dynamic initiative” among aircrew. Instead, it has been “heavily scripted and designed to impress senior officials.”
Despite having a wide array of high-tech combat jets, Russia’s air force “almost certainly” failed to foster the “institutional culture and skill-sets” required to achieve a Western-style air campaign.
With its air force underperforming, Russia has become heavily reliant on ground troops. And with pressure building on ground troops, morale issues have been mounting.
On Monday, the Russian military announced that it hit the Artsyz airfield near Odesa, destroying two Bayraktar drones and a drone control station. The Ukrainian military, however, claims that its air defense system successfully intercepted the incoming missiles before they reached the target.
Meanwhile, Russian ground forces continue their assaults in the Luhansk region in Eastern Ukraine. Cities like Sievierodonetsk are currently without electricity, communications, food, or medicine.
Currently, Russian forces control about 95 percent of the Luhansk region. But despite deploying additional troops and holding a massive advantage in military assets, Moscow has struggled for weeks to completely overrun the region.
The airstrikes on Sievierodonetsk and neighboring Lysychansk have destroyed over ten residential buildings and a police station.
The only city in the Luhansk region that remains under Ukrainian control is Lysychansk
