Western intelligence data indicates that Russia is stockpiling aircraft near the border with Ukraine, indicating that Moscow is preparing to bring its planes and helicopters into the war to support a ground offensive that is stalling.
As reported by “European truth“, writes about it Financial Times with reference to sources.
Fear of a looming air war in Ukraine has prompted allies to prioritize deliveries of air defenses and artillery ammunition to Kiev to respond to Moscow’s change in approach as the nearly year-long war enters a new phase, Western officials say.
Intelligence shared by NATO allies shows that Russia is stockpiling planes and helicopters near the border with Ukraine, two officials said.
During meetings with Alliance members that back Ukraine on Tuesday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin noted the threat posed by Russia’s sizable 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,” a senior US administration official said.
“The Russian ground forces are quite depleted, so this is the best indicator that they will turn this into an air battle. If the Ukrainians want to survive … they need to have as many air defenses as possible and as much ammunition as possible,” the official added.
From the first weeks of the war, Russia used its sizeable air force sparingly, relying on long-range missiles, artillery, and ground forces.
Western analysts have speculated that this may have been due to Moscow’s concerns that Ukrainian air defense systems pose a threat to Russian aircraft, or because its fleet is in poor condition.
But intelligence estimates indicate that the Russian air force is “actually quite well preserved,” said a senior NATO diplomat.
“More than 80 percent are probably safe and accessible … Therefore, we expect that they are preparing to launch an air campaign and are trying to disable the Ukrainian air defense with attacks,” the diplomat said.
According to the publication, the US will announce another aid package later this week, which will mainly include air defenses and ammunition.
Recall that NATO Secretary General explainedthat the Alliance is discussing the provision of Western-style fighter jets to Ukraine, and the speed with which such assistance can be provided is important in this regard.
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin, after a meeting in the Ramstein format in Brussels, said that he had there is no news on the supply of combat aircraft to Ukraine.
