As Russia continues to battle in its invasion of Ukraine, specialists are puzzled over the nation's obvious lack of air superiority.

Specialists with Janes, a analysis agency devoted to "defence and safety intelligence," advised AFP Information on Tuesday that they're stumped as to why Russia's air drive has not taken decisive management over Ukrainian air area. The agency's findings point out that Russia employs 132 bomber planes whereas Ukraine has none, 832 fighter jets whereas Ukraine has 86, and 358 transport planes in opposition to Ukraine's 63.

The one space the place Russia doesn't have the higher hand is drones, of which Ukraine has 66 in opposition to Russia's 25. Ukraine has not too long ago hailed its Turkish drones for serving to it beat again Russian forces, Insider reported.

russian air force ukraine
Findings from Janes analysis agency point out that Russia employs 132 bomber planes whereas Ukraine has none, 832 fighter jets whereas Ukraine has 86, and 358 transport planes in opposition to Ukraine's 63. Above, fighter jets fly in formation throughout joint workout routines of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus as a part of a navy train on the Gozhsky firing vary within the Grodno area of Belarus on February 12, previous to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Leonid Shcheglov/Belta/AFP by way of Getty Pictures

Whereas Janes famous that Russia has not deployed the complete breadth of its air drive in opposition to Ukraine, the scenario stays puzzling.

"Whereas Russia has the benefit that comes with higher numbers, it has not but gained management of the skies over Ukraine to the extent that it has been capable of stop the Ukrainian Air Drive from working and inflicting injury on the Russian struggle effort," Gareth Jennings, an analyst at Janes, advised AFP Information. "They're nonetheless engaged in making an attempt to neutralize Ukrainian ground- and air-based air defenses."

The Russian air drive has seen extra efficacy in defending advancing floor forces, significantly a many-kilometers-long convoy of vans, armored autos and artillery models shifting south towards Kyiv. Regardless of this truth, specialists say that Russia may meet its convoy protection wants and nonetheless take management of Ukrainian air area.

"The missing efficacy of the Russian air drive is without doubt one of the stunning components of this battle," former French Colonel Michel Goya advised AFP.

One aviation skilled, Justin Bronk, defined that Russia's bother may very well be all the way down to its lack of precision guided munitions (PGMs).

"This not solely signifies a really restricted familiarity with PGMs amongst most Russian fighter crews, but in addition reinforces the broadly accepted principle that the Russian air-delivered PGM stockpile may be very restricted," Bronk mentioned to AFP.

Talking to the Army Instances, Samuel Bendett, an skilled on Russian drone warfare working for the CNA assume tank, mentioned that the success of the Turkish drones deployed by Ukraine signifies that Russia has not adequately applied its air protection methods.

"[In Ukraine], Russia would not appear to show the very techniques, methods and procedures that it is practiced for years and sought to good in Syria…[to provide] ample cowl to its floor forces," Bendett defined.