russian army lost superiority over Ukraine in the air – British intelligence

The russian army has lost at least four warplanes in the past ten days and about 55 since the beginning of the invasion.

The UK's Ministry of Defense announced on Twitter referring to British intelligence.

"Russia has highly likely lost at least four combat jets in Ukraine within the last 10 days, taking its attrition to approximately 55 since the start of the invasion," said the September 19 daily intelligence review.

According to the assessment of British intelligence, this increase in losses of russian warplanes in recent days was most likely because aviation was taking more significant risks in its attempts "to provide close air support to Russian ground forces under pressure from Ukrainian advances."

"Russian pilots' situational awareness is often poor; there is a realistic possibility that some aircraft have strayed over enemy territory and into denser air defense zones as the front lines have moved rapidly," the report said.

The British Ministry of Defense also stated that "Russia's continued lack of air superiority remains one of the most important factors underpinning the fragility of its operational design in Ukraine."

Earlier, British intelligence reported that any substantial loss of territory in the Luhansk region would undermine Russia's strategy.  Ukraine continues offensive operations in the northeast while Russian forces have established a defensive line between the Oskil River and the town of Svatove.

Rubryka reported that losing the Kharkiv region may push russians to surrender more occupied territories. After Ukraine's successful counteroffensive in the occupied Kharkiv region, russian troops may be forced to retreat further from other territories captured by them.

"The Russians are in trouble," one US official told the publication. "The question will be how the Russians will react, but their weaknesses have been exposed, and they don't have great manpower or equipment reserves."

Read Rubryka's timeline of war: current news on Ukraine's defense against russia's aggression.