Ukraine’s air force is down to only a few dozen operational combat aircraft, according to Russian military expert Vasily Dandykin. Speaking to Lenta.ru, he said the Ukrainian army is doing everything possible to conceal its remaining fighter jets — including the recently delivered F-16s — while avoiding the use of French Mirage aircraft.

Dandykin noted that many of Ukraine’s older Su-25 attack aircraft have likely been destroyed or rendered inoperable, while Su-24 bombers exist only in small numbers. He estimated that Kyiv has around fifteen Su-27 fighters still available for combat missions. Despite the limited fleet, he warned that these jets could pose a significant threat if deployed strategically and guided with the help of Western targeting systems.

On October 22, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported the destruction of a Ukrainian Su-27. The same day, Russian air defense units intercepted four cruise missiles launched by Ukrainian forces, as well as several HIMARS rockets and three guided aerial bombs.