While Russian pilots were managing to support land operations in the south of Ukraine, they were doing so “without decisive operational effect,” the British Ministry of Defense said in its daily intelligence update on Monday.

To compensate, Russia was sending adapted free-fall bombs into Ukrainian territory. However, these had “yet to demonstrate consistent accuracy,” it added.

“Over the summer, Russian tactical combat aircraft have typically carried out over 100 sorties a day, but these are almost always restricted to operating over Russian-controlled territory due to the threat from Ukrainian air defenses,” the update said.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine has been able to gain air superiority in the war so far despite Russia’s vastly larger air force. But a military expert previously told Insider that the “advantage is with defense.”

  • flying_monkies@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    I wouldn’t doubt it, wasn’t one of their excuses for failing at not shooting down the HIMARS that were killing their troops and destroying depots “the S400 missiles would be wasted shooting at something as cheap as a HIMARS”?

    • noride@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Ironic considering they sued the manufacturer of the S400 specifically because they were sold as being able to intercept HIMARS and are woefully unable to do so, even in ideal conditions.

      • interolivary@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        There’s no irony there: they know their lies aren’t consistent since that’s by design. They’re showing their subjects that they can remake reality as they see fit.