Ukrainian anti-aircraft crews have recently made a bold claim, stating that they have successfully downed 13 Russian aircraft in just 13 days, marking a significant blow to Moscow's air force. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry took to social media platform X-formerly known as Twitter to express their triumph, declaring that being a Russian military plane pilot is now seemingly the worst job in the world.

According to Kyiv, the month of February has witnessed the highest number of Russian jet downings since October 2022. The listed aircraft included ten Su-34 fighter-bombers, two Su-35 fighters, and one A-50 long-range radar detection and control aircraft. Notably, this is the second A-50 claimed to be destroyed by Ukraine since the beginning of February. Ukrainian spy chief Kyrylo Budanov has also revealed that Russia now has only six A-50s left.

Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment but has yet to receive a response. As of now, it is difficult to independently verify the accuracy of Ukraine's claims.

The Russian Su-34s have played a crucial role in supporting Moscow's winter offensive on the eastern front. Specifically, air-dropped KAB glide bombs have been credited as vital to the success of Russian forces. These bombs can be released from a distance of up to 25 miles, leaving Ukrainian defenders with limited air-defense capabilities to thwart such sorties.

However, it appears that some of Ukraine's anti-air units, possibly equipped with mobile American-made Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries, have been deployed near the front lines. The Ukrainian air force declined to comment on the specific weapons that have been employed in recent shootdowns.

According to Forbes, the Russian air force has a total of 140 Su-34 fighter-bombers in its arsenal. Ukraine now claims to have downed 35 of them, while the Oryx open-source intelligence tracker lists 25 Su-34s as destroyed. If Ukraine's figures are correct, it would mean that Russia has approximately 105 Su-34s remaining, taking into account the aircraft that might be out of commission due to damage, lack of pilots, and routine maintenance.

Experts suggest that the loss of 13 aircraft in such a short period, along with the potential loss of highly trained pilots, would have a significant impact on the Russian military. The Institute for the Study of War noted that even a small number of aircraft losses can have a domino effect on the rest of the air force. Russian military analyst Michael Bohnert further emphasized that the overuse of these aircraft is costing Russia in the ongoing conflict.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is eagerly awaiting the delivery of Western F-16 fighter jets, which they believe are essential for defending against Russian cruise missiles and air-dropped bombs. However, the delivery of these aircraft has faced numerous delays. Once the F-16s are in service, they are expected to further strain the Russian air force, forcing them to devote more resources to countering the new threat, leaving fewer aircraft available to support ground operations.

As the war between Ukraine and Russia continues, both sides have suffered significant losses in terms of aircraft. Oryx reports that Ukraine has lost a total of 78 aircraft, including various fighter jets and close air support or strike aircraft.

With the arrival of the F-16s and an upgraded Ukrainian fighter and air defense threat, experts anticipate that the strain on the Russian air force will increase. This could lead to decreased capability of Russian fighters and further decline in their overall military force.

The situation on the ground remains tense, and the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia shows no signs of abating.