A Russian A-50U AWACS aircraft was shot down on the east coast of the Sea of Azov, the second downed incident in two months. The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Air Force, Oleshchuk, confirmed the information, saying that the Ukrainian army shot down the Russian AWACS aircraft. Although the landing site is far away from the Russian-Ukrainian exchange of fire and tends to crash by mistake or malfunction, the reduction in the number of A-50U AWACS aircraft of the Russian army has weakened Ukraine's air defense combat system. Western countries have pledged to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets and train pilots for it, but there is an opinion that this will not be enough to reverse the situation of air superiority in the Russian-Ukrainian battlefield.
Ukraine's neighbors are cautious about deploying Ukrainian warplanes because they could provoke missile strikes by Russian forces. Therefore, if Ukraine wants to use these fighters to fight the Russian army, it will build bases on its own territory to meet deployment needs. However, the deployment of these fighters is not safe due to Ukraine's lack of maintenance capabilities and the threat of long-range firepower from the Russian army. The Russian-Ukrainian war has already caused damage to the image of Russia's military power, and this internal wound time and victory will make up for it, otherwise it will lead to the decline of Russia's military deterrence.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Air Force, Oleshchuk, confirmed the news that the Russian A-50U AWACS aircraft was shot down on the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov. This is the second downing in just two months. Although the landing site is far from the line of fire between Russia and Ukraine, it still raises concerns. Allegedly, the Ukrainian military claimed to have shot down the Russian AWACS aircraft. The occurrence of the incident further reduced the number of A-50U early warning aircraft of the Russian army, which had an impact on Russia's airborne early warning capabilities. Although it may have been a crash caused by a mistaken hit or a mechanical failure, in any case, this had an important impact on Ukraine's defense strategy.
In the face of Russia's military operation on the territory of Ukraine, Western countries have expressed their support for Ukraine. Among them is a commitment to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, as well as a program to train pilots for it. The initiative aims to strengthen Ukraine's defense capability against the Russian military threat. However, there is an argument that relying solely on these fighters may not be enough to reverse Russia's superiority in the air. In addition, Ukraine's neighbors are wary of deploying Ukrainian warplanes on their territory, fearing that they could incur retaliation from Russia.
Ukraine will solve the challenge if it wants to use Western-supplied warplanes to engage the Russian army. First of all, Ukraine has established corresponding bases on its own territory to meet the deployment needs of these fighters. However, due to Ukraine's current lack of maintenance capabilities for these advanced fighters and the threat of long-range firepower from the Russian army, the deployment of these fighters may have security risks. In addition, Ukraine is considering how to respond to Russian military strikes to ensure the effective use of these warplanes.
The Russia-Ukraine war has already had a negative impact on Russia's military power. The losses suffered during the military operation, importantly, the war caused serious damage to the military image of Russia. Otherwise, this will lead to a further decline in Russia's military deterrence.
Ukraine's shooting down of the Russian A-50U AWACS aircraft has once again aroused international attention to the situation in Ukraine. Western support has provided military assistance to Ukraine, but Ukraine still faces many challenges in reversing Russia's air superiority. In addition, the Russian-Ukrainian war has already had a negative impact on Russia's military image, which has taken a toll on its military deterrent. As the situation develops, the international community will continue to closely monitor the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.