The White House believes that more than 80% of the Russian air force is intact, as it has not yet been used in the war. Therefore, the Allies gave priority to the rapid supply of air defense systems and artillery ammunition.
The Russian Federation is stockpiling aircraft on the border with Ukraine, according to Western intelligence, which could suggest the Kremlin may be throwing its planes and helicopters into the war to support a stalled ground offensive. About this on Tuesday, February 14, writes Financial Times.
Unnamed Western officials told British reporters that “fear of a looming air war in Ukraine” has prompted partners to prioritize rapid deliveries of air defenses and artillery munitions to Kiev in response to the Kremlin’s shift in approach as the war, which has been going on for nearly a year, “enters new phase.”
So, on Tuesday, February 14, at a meeting with allied countries supporting Ukraine, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin emphasized the threat from Russia’s sizable remaining air force.
“He made it very clear that we have a short window of time to help the Ukrainians prepare for the offensive and that they have some pretty specific needs,” an anonymous senior White House official said.
According to officials referring to Western intelligence data, the Russian ground forces “stuck” in the eastern direction are severely exhausted and need aviation support.
“If Ukrainians want to survive, they need to have as many air defense systems as possible and as much ammunition as possible,” the speaker added.
Can Ukraine resist Russian aviation?
It is also reported that at a press conference on February 14, Austin said that the United States sees no inevitable signs of a “massive air attack” from Russia on Ukraine, but Washington and its allies are hastily sending as many air defense systems to the country as possible.
“We know that Russia has significant aircraft and many capabilities. Ukraine’s current air defense capabilities are not enough, and we will continue to seek to strengthen them because the threat exists. We want to make sure that they have the ability to defend themselves in case Russia will decide to bring its air force into battle,” the US Secretary of Defense said.
Since the all-out invasion, the Kremlin has seldom used its air force, relying instead on long-range missiles, artillery and ground forces, it notes.
Western analysts have speculated that this may have been due to Russian fears that Ukraine’s air defense systems pose a threat to Russian aircraft, or that its fleet is in poor condition.
At the same time, Western intelligence estimates show that the Russian air force is “actually quite intact.” According to an anonymous senior NATO diplomat, more than 80% of Russian aircraft and helicopters “are safe and available.”
The warning about the buildup of air troops, according to the FT, came after about 50 Western allies at a meeting at NATO headquarters on Tuesday announced additional commitments to provide military equipment for Ukraine. In addition, the US is expected to announce another aid package later this week, which will mainly include air defenses and ammunition, according to people familiar with the matter.
Recall that on February 14, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov attended a meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine in the Ramstein format. During a conversation with media representatives, the head of the Ministry of Defense showed a scarf with the image of fighter jets, hinting at the transfer of aircraft to Ukraine.
On the same day, Reznikov said that last year Ukraine, in fact, became a member of NATO, and the Ministry of Defense is doing everything to confirm the entry legally.
We also recall that according to the Financial Times, at a meeting of NATO defense ministers on February 14 in Brussels, US officials admit that Kiev is likely to receive “more modern aviation as the war drags on” from Washington.
