Russia's 'Inability' to Establish Air Superiority Undermining Operations—UK

Russia is again showing that it is not capable of achieving air superiority in Ukraine, much like it did at the start of its full-scale invasion there, British defense officials have said.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense (MOD) noted on X, formerly Twitter, the significance of the downing on December 22 of three Russian Sukhoi Su-34 jets over southern Ukraine. There, Moscow's tactical air power helped attack Ukraine's bridgehead in Krynky on the Russian-controlled eastern bank of the Dnieper River.

A U.S.-made MIM-104 Patriot air defense system had downed the planes, according to Russian military bloggers. Ukraine also said that, on December 24, its armed forces destroyed another two Russian warplanes, a Su-30 and a Su-34, over Odesa and Mariupol fronts by the Black Sea. Newsweek has as yet been unable to verify either side's claims.