Ukraine’s ability to inflict heavy losses on Russia’s invasion force in the face of aggression is causing concern about Moscow’s capacity to maintain its aerial campaign. Source: Kosorukov Dmitry/Shutterstock

Facing relentless aggression, Ukraine has inflicted heavy losses on Russia’s invasion force, prompting concerns over Moscow’s ability to sustain its aerial campaign.

At the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), a senior UK military advisor, Nicholas Aucott, revealed Ukraine’s success in neutralising Russian combat aircraft. The latest figures showed that Ukraine had downed 13 Russian planes in just as many days, including three Sukhoi Su-34 fighter bombers near Avdiivka and Mariupol.

The barrage against Russian air assets has dealt a setback to Moscow’s war efforts, exacerbating the strain caused by international sanctions on Russia’s defence industry. Aucott highlighted that Ukraine’s destruction of Russian jets has outpaced Moscow’s ability to replace them, with reports indicating a 20-fold disparity in losses versus production.

The recent geopolitical events, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the US-China trade war, have led to supply chain disruptions of several vital components. The Ukraine crisis has significantly crippled the Russian supply chain, whether commercial aviation or defence, as per GlobalData’s global military fixed-wing aircraft market intelligence.

While the ground situation in Ukraine remains relatively static, the sustained resistance from Ukrainian forces has thwarted Putin’s ambitions of swift conquest. Despite Russia’s initial plans to encircle Kyiv within days and subjugate the country within a month, Ukraine’s resilience has remained solid.

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Western support, notably the supply of advanced weaponry and intelligence to Ukraine, has significantly strengthened Ukrainian defences, thwarting Russian air superiority efforts. 

The UK’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia, as reiterated in the Spring 2024 Budget, has been praised by Andriy Dovbenko, a Ukrainian defence and agri-tech investor, in an interview with Army Technology. He emphasised the importance of deploying the additional £2.5bn ($3.2bn) commitment for 2024-25 into military expertise and defence production to effectively aid Ukraine in turning the tide of the war.

The United Kingdom, alongside its allies, has doubled down on sanctions and pledged support to Ukraine, signalling a firm stance against Russia’s aggression.