Photo provided by RIA Novosti, Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback tactical bomber during the parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945, May 9, 2015 in Moscow, Russia.
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a report on Sunday: “Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Colonel Yuriy Ihnat stated on December 24 that Russian forces reduced the use of glide bombs and air strikes in southern Ukraine”.
This move came after Ukrainian forces said they shot down three Russian Su-34 bombers on December 21 and 22. Ukrainian officials also said their armed forces destroyed two other Russian warplanes on Christmas Eve. In a Christmas Day update, Ukraine’s General Staff said its air defense forces destroyed a Russian Su-30 and a Su-34 aircraft.
Russian aircraft dropping bombs hovered up to 60km from the target, meaning the aircraft were less affected by Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire. “Russia’s reduced use of glide bombs shows that Russian forces are concerned about Ukraine’s air defense capabilities after recent losses,” ISW said.
ISW quoted Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Maslovets on December 24 as saying that Russian forces are limiting the use of manned aircraft near Crimea, especially in the northwestern Black Sea region.
Ukrainian ground forces spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Volodymyr Fityo said on December 23 that Russian forces had also reduced the use of aviation and increased the use of attack drones in the Kupiansk region and Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.
Newsweek was unable to independently verify some details in the December 24 ISW report.
Ukraine’s Air Force described Russian pilots as “complacent” before Kiev forces shot down three Russian fighter bombers last week as they tried to drop bombs behind Ukrainian lines.
“They showed complacency, came closer and tried to attack our troops with guided bombs deeper in the defensive positions,” Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Ihnat stated. But when you want to attack and crave to attack, you have to fly closer. They took a risk – but it didn’t work.”
Ukraine did not reveal the reason why three Russian planes were shot down. However, Russian military bloggers expressed concern about the shooting down of the Russian plane by Ukrainian air defense forces, including one version noting that Kiev could have used MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missiles.
According to ISW, Mr. Ihnat also announced on December 24 that Ukrainian forces “can deploy air defense systems in any direction, not just in places where Russian forces have lost aircraft.”
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in an update on December 25 sharing that Russia has lost 329 aircraft since the start of the war.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian Ministry of Defense for comment via email but had not received a response at press time.