Don’t write off the Russian air force

The Russian air force’s  failure to establish air superiority over Ukraine – and the consequent inability of its fighter and bomber aircraft to meaningfully affect the course of the war – has been one of the defining features of the invasion so far.   

It has even become almost a given in policy and public discussion that Russian airpower is a busted flush. But recent research conducted by RUSI in Ukraine shows that in fact Russia conducted hundreds of strike sorties and fighter patrols deep inside Ukrainian airspace during the first three days of the invasion – which suggests it would be a dangerous mistake to underestimate Russian airpower as the war continues.  

During the first days of the invasion, Ukrainian surface-to-air missile (SAM) batteries were successfully jammed by Russian electronic attack. The Ukrainians were simultaneously forced to urgently relocate their mobile SAMs and radars to avoid missile and aircraft strikes.