The Ukrainian Air Force shot down a Russian early warning-and-control plane that can spot targets up to 400 miles away and a key command center aircraft that relays information to troops on the ground, in a significant blow for the Kremlin’s forces, Ukraine’s military chief said Monday. Russia has largely ensured its air dominance during the war as Ukraine fights with its fleet of Soviet-era warplanes against Moscow’s more more modern aircraft. Russian war bloggers said both planes had come under friendly fire, though they presented no evidence of that. The Russian Air Force has reportedly been operating a fleet of nine such aircraft. The Russian Air Force reportedly has a dozen such planes.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 15, 2024 19:11 UTC