While it’s not clear how the actual air war is going, the war of words between the Ukrainian and Russian air forces would suggest each other’s aircraft are dropping like flies. Last week, the Ukrainians said they shot down three Russian Su-34 Fullback attack aircraft that were getting ready to drop guided bombs on Ukrainian targets. It was termed “a brilliantly planned operation to destroy the enemy on the periphery of our country.” It was most likely carried out with U.S.-supplied Patriot ground-to-air missiles, but there has been no conclusive evidence offered as proof. That, according to the Ukrainians, brings to 10 the number of Russian aircraft brought down by Patriots.
Not to be outdone, at least in the PR department, Russian forces announced two days later that they’d taken out four Ukrainian aircraft. The Russians said they got three Su-27 fighters and one Su-24 tactical aircraft in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions of southeastern Ukraine. No further details were offered. Aircraft losses are relatively rare in the conflict as both countries have robust ground defense systems and neither side is anxious to test the other’s.
