The Ukrainian Air Force told how many combat aircraft Russia has in service and what kind of fighters the aggressor uses against Ukraine. More details on ICTV Facts.
How many fighters does Russia have in 2024
Fighters were among the first to invade the territory of Ukraine in 2022. They are still an integral part of Russian aviation.
Russian fighters fire at the front line, dropping bombs on civilian targets. However, recently they have masterfully “landed” thanks to the successful actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
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According to the General Staff, since the beginning of a full-scale war alone, the enemy has lost more than 300 of its aircraft.
On the morning of February 17, 2024, in the Eastern direction, the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed two Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers and one Su-35 fighter.
February 19, 2024, in the Eastern direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down two more enemy aircraft. Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Alexander Syrsky reported that a Su-34 fighter-bomber and a Su-35S fighter were hit, which attacked the positions of Ukrainian troops with guided bombs.
February 21, 2024 The air force destroyed another enemy Su-34 fighter-bomber.
Such strikes, of course, negatively affect the military situation of the Russian Federation, because it is not easy to produce modern aircraft.
However, according to experts, it is too early to talk about a significant reduction in the number of combat aircraft in Russia. The aggressor, despite the sanctions, annually replenishes the number of its aircraft. The Russian Federation still has hundreds of units in service and can produce new aircraft. For example, in 2023, four SU-30SM and several SU-34 aircraft were delivered to the Russian Federation.
What threatens Russia from shooting down fighter jets: an expert explains
According to military-political observer Alexander Kovalenko, for the Russian occupation forces, 2024 began with serious losses in aviation. The actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces make the Ukrainian sky dangerous for the occupiers.
— During the entire period of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the Russian Air Force lost 25 Su-34 front-line sub-fighter bombers. Moreover, the last verification of losses is dated December 22, 2023. According to unverified data, the Russian Air Force has lost more than 50 Su-34s in two years,” noted Alexander Kovalenko.
At the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Federation had 110 Su-34s in service, of which less than 100 were combat-ready. However, Russia continues to produce Su-34s: from 10 to 12 aircraft per year, that is, about 1 aircraft per month.
—If the Russian Federation loses Su-34 aircraft in the amount of 2-3 aircraft per month, then it will be impossible to compensate for their losses with production, and the total number will go into the minus, the expert commented .
Alexander Kovalenko believes that 2024 will be the year of ousting Russian aviation from Ukrainian airspace.
This will be facilitated by several factors, including the supply of F-16 fighters.
