2024-01-17T20:00:00+02:00 Politics 2024-09-15T04:48:00+03:00

Ukrainian news

British intelligence assesses impact of А-50 aircraft destruction on combat capability of russian aviation

British intelligence assesses impact of А-50 aircraft destruction on combat capability of russian aviation

Due to the destruction of a russian А-50 MAINSTAY, an Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, by the Defense Forces, russia is likely to be forced to reconsider limiting the operational areas of its aircraft. The loss of the A-50 will increase the load on the remaining aircraft of the russian federation.

This is stated in the intelligence update of the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom, published on X.

Thus, the agency emphasized that the destruction of the russian А-50 by Ukraine is of great importance.

"It is likely that Russia will now be forced to reconsider limiting operational areas of its aircraft. The А-50 is critical to the Russian air surveillance picture over the battlespace," the report said.

According to intelligence, on January 14, the russian A-50 Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft "almost certainly" exploded and subsequently fell in the western part of the Sea of ​ ​ Azov, and at the same time damage was reported to the russian Il-22M air control point, which landed at the russian airfield.

Analysts point out that the russian Air Force has eight А-50 aircraft that can likely cover immediate operational impact.

"However, the increased stress on the remaining airframes coupled with the loss of crew will likely constrain longer term mission sustainability," the review added.

Recall that the Defense Forces of the south of Ukraine showed a video of the last flight "into the non-return zone" of the russian A-50 aircraft, which was shot down as a result of a special operation in the Azov Sea along with the Il-22.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yurii Ihnat informed that the hit enemy's Il-22 air control point managed to land in the city of Anapa (Krasnodar Krai, russia), but cannot be restored.