Russia has reportedly grounded its A-50 early warning and control planes after experiencing the loss of two of these valuable aircraft within a short span of time, according to British defense officials. Despite claims of Russian forces having the upper hand in the Ukrainian battlefield following the capture of Avdiivka in Donetsk oblast, assessments of Moscow's air power have not been positive due to a series of reported losses.

On February 23, Ukraine's Air Force announced that a Russian Beriev A-50U long-range radar-detection aircraft was shot down near the Sea of Azov by a Soviet S-200 anti-aircraft system. Some Russian military bloggers speculate that it may have been hit by friendly fire, although the Russian Defense Ministry has not commented on this incident. Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment on the assessment by the British Ministry of Defense (MOD), which tends to highlight Russia's losses and Ukrainian gains.

Determining the exact tally of equipment losses in this conflict is challenging, as both sides are suspected of inflating figures to portray their adversaries in a negative light. Each A-50 aircraft is estimated to cost over $300 million, making the loss of these reconnaissance planes a financial setback for Moscow. Additionally, it deals a significant blow to Russia's war efforts, particularly after Kyiv claimed to have taken down the same model aircraft on January 14 in the same region.

Ukraine's Air Force spokesperson, Yurii Ihnat, stated on February 27 that no A-50 aircraft had been detected in the four days since the incident. British defense officials have suggested that Russia has "likely grounded" these aircraft pending an investigation into their failure to protect this high-value asset. The officials added that Russia is now assessing how to mitigate the threat posed by Ukrainian air defense, as the absence of A-50 significantly degrades the situational awareness provided to air crews. This capability gap is deemed crucial, especially as the airspace over eastern and southern Ukraine remains contested.

To address the gap in their air capabilities, Moscow is reportedly considering options such as repurposing other aircraft and accepting greater risks. The Russian military plans to bring back previously mothballed A-50 airframes to support ground troops effectively. However, once these planes return to operations, experts anticipate an increase in air frame and crew fatigue.

Russia has also faced losses in its fighter plane fleet in recent weeks, with reports claiming that a Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet disappeared from radars near Mariupol on Friday, according to Ukrainian sources. Newsweek is yet to verify this claim. If confirmed as a result of a Ukrainian attack, it would be the 14th Russian aircraft allegedly destroyed by Kyiv in the past 14 days. In addition to the A-50, Ukraine's Defense Ministry claims to have downed two Su-35s and ten Su-34 fighter-bombers within the previous two weeks.

As the conflict in Ukraine continues and both sides grapple with persistent losses, the volatile situation in the region remains a cause for concern.