Ukraine's air defense forces claim of a successful day: 11 shot downs in less than 24 hours

Ukraine's Air Defense Becomes Its Surprising Trump Card 

An air defense command official said in a statement to Kyivpost on Wednesday, March 23, that Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) air defense units enjoyed one of their most effective days yet in Kyiv's almost month-long defense against the Russian Federation invasion.

According to air force spokesman Yury Ihnat, Ukrainian air defense units, jet interceptor pilots, and even infantry armed with short-range missiles teamed up on Tuesday to down RF air force aircraft, including five combat jets, one helicopter, four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and one ballistic missile. If the death total is correct, it will be Ukraine's most successful day in air defense since the war began.

KP was unable to independently verify the UAF statement. Images of airplane debris and, in one case, a video of a supposed shoot-down from sites around the country provided possibly partial corroboration via social media and independent media accounts. The Pentagon and other Western defense organizations have stated that Russian troops have been progressively losing aircraft to strong Ukrainian air defenses, but that UAF death figures may be overly optimistic.

Before being sent to the east of the country, Ukrainian paratroopers stand at attention on December 6, 2018, at Ozerne airbase in the Zhytomyr area of northern Ukraine. (Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY / AFP)

According to Ihnat, the UAF has managed to maintain its defenses operational against the RF air force by employing ambush tactics to draw RF pilots and unmanned aircraft into air defense traps involving jet fighters in the air and a mix of anti-air missiles and guns on the ground.

Following the failure of a planned blitzkrieg offensive to take over Ukraine, the Kremlin has increasingly employed its air force to target civilian homes and businesses, ostensibly with the goal of breaking Ukrainian resistance.

Ukraine has repeatedly requested air defense help from NATO and NATO member nations, claiming that it is urgently needed to protect major Ukrainian cities from Russian airstrikes. The US opposed a Polish initiative to hand over 30 Soviet-era MiG fighter jets to the Ukrainians in the second week of the war, citing concerns that the transfer would anger Moscow.

Last week, NATO states promised to send Ukraine Soviet-era anti-aircraft systems, but the only real air defense assistance the Ukrainians have received, according to independent media, is very short-range hand-held missiles that are dangerous to RF helicopters but almost useless against bombers and missiles.

London stated two weeks ago that it will supply powerful Sky Sabre anti-aircraft missiles and radars to Kyiv, but there have been no reports or public comments confirming the systems have reached battle lines in Ukraine as of yet.

According to Army General Staff addressing those issues Wednesday morning, UAF troops have destroyed 101 combat jets, 124 helicopters, and 42 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) since the war began. Equipment destroyed on the ground is included in the totals.