Russia doesn’t have a high degree of air superiority or air supremacy over Ukraine. Russian aircraft don’t cross the forward line of own troops, and haven’t in years, which is why they use cruise missiles, one way attack drones and ballistic missiles for attacks deeper into Ukrainian territory. And glide bombs launched 40+ km behind their forward line of own troops for air support. When Russia had air supremacy in Mariopul, they brought in the Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers to bomb Mariopul. When Russia gained air supremacy over Kursk this year just before Ukraine lost it, they had attack helicopters, close air support aircraft like the Su-25, and larger UCAVs bombing all of Kursk that Ukraine held at the time. If Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers flew over Kiev every night, Ukraine would’ve surrendered years ago.
If you mean the Russian air force is superior to the Ukrainian air force in numbers and equipment, and thus they have air superiority, then yes that’s correct. But I don’t think anyone is arguing against that. Yes Russia is superior there, but they can’t translate that into flying deeper into Ukrainian territory, Ukraine still controls the airspace behind the front lines thanks to the area/access denial enabled by their air defence network and defensive counter air missions by the Ukrainian Air Force, which has almost completely transitioned to F-16AM/BM aircraft (Soviet era airframes and the few French Mirages only make up 20% of sorties now). Russian offensive counter air and suppression of enemy air defence missions are not, at this stage of the war, inflicting significant enough losses to meaningfully degrade Ukraine’s area/access denial to aircraft. In the beginning of the war Russia inflicted large losses on Ukraine air defence and fighter aircraft, but were unable to translate that into deep strike missions.
A few weeks (or months) ago Ukraine even flew an An-124 cargo plane out of Kiev. If Russia had a high degree of air superiority, they would’ve shot it down. They didn’t.
Russian aircraft don’t cross forward because Russia’s strategy is to use long range missiles and drones to penetrate deep into Ukraine. Having air superiority doesn’t mean flying aircraft in, it means having control over the airspace which Russia does. Ukraine has practically no air force left to speak of, and they are entirely unable to stop Russians hitting deep inside Ukraine with impunity. Russia has been holding back from bombing civilian areas into the ground entirely as a choice as opposed to lack of capability to do so. Saying Russia doesn’t have air superiority because they don’t shoot down every plane that flies over Ukraine is a bit silly.
Russia doesn’t have a high degree of air superiority or air supremacy over Ukraine. Russian aircraft don’t cross the forward line of own troops, and haven’t in years, which is why they use cruise missiles, one way attack drones and ballistic missiles for attacks deeper into Ukrainian territory. And glide bombs launched 40+ km behind their forward line of own troops for air support. When Russia had air supremacy in Mariopul, they brought in the Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers to bomb Mariopul. When Russia gained air supremacy over Kursk this year just before Ukraine lost it, they had attack helicopters, close air support aircraft like the Su-25, and larger UCAVs bombing all of Kursk that Ukraine held at the time. If Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers flew over Kiev every night, Ukraine would’ve surrendered years ago.
If you mean the Russian air force is superior to the Ukrainian air force in numbers and equipment, and thus they have air superiority, then yes that’s correct. But I don’t think anyone is arguing against that. Yes Russia is superior there, but they can’t translate that into flying deeper into Ukrainian territory, Ukraine still controls the airspace behind the front lines thanks to the area/access denial enabled by their air defence network and defensive counter air missions by the Ukrainian Air Force, which has almost completely transitioned to F-16AM/BM aircraft (Soviet era airframes and the few French Mirages only make up 20% of sorties now). Russian offensive counter air and suppression of enemy air defence missions are not, at this stage of the war, inflicting significant enough losses to meaningfully degrade Ukraine’s area/access denial to aircraft. In the beginning of the war Russia inflicted large losses on Ukraine air defence and fighter aircraft, but were unable to translate that into deep strike missions.
A few weeks (or months) ago Ukraine even flew an An-124 cargo plane out of Kiev. If Russia had a high degree of air superiority, they would’ve shot it down. They didn’t.
Russian aircraft don’t cross forward because Russia’s strategy is to use long range missiles and drones to penetrate deep into Ukraine. Having air superiority doesn’t mean flying aircraft in, it means having control over the airspace which Russia does. Ukraine has practically no air force left to speak of, and they are entirely unable to stop Russians hitting deep inside Ukraine with impunity. Russia has been holding back from bombing civilian areas into the ground entirely as a choice as opposed to lack of capability to do so. Saying Russia doesn’t have air superiority because they don’t shoot down every plane that flies over Ukraine is a bit silly.