Ukraine braces for threat of nearly 300 Russian fighter planes aimed at its infrastructure

"Russia poses a strong threat, with almost 300 fighter planes against us," explained General Vadim Skibitsky, the deputy chief of the main department of intelligence of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, in a conversation with Ukrainian Interfax. He added that in his view, "Russians have set a goal to destroy both Ukrainian aviation and infrastructure."

To counter the threat of 300 Russian planes, Ukraine plans to deploy F-16 fighters. Skibitsky claims that these fighters are a significant concern for the Russians. "For three days, the Russians bombed one of our airports, seeking to prevent the F-16 from being stationed there," he revealed. He believes that Western machinery's superiority over their Soviet counterparts fully justifies Russia's fears.

It's worth noting that some of the more prevalent fighter aircraft in the Russian Federation's fleet include the MiG-29s. These frontline fighters, from the era of the USSR, can reach speeds of 2.3 Mach, with their Klimov RD-33 engines. They can carry short-range R-73 missiles, a direct response to the competing AIM-9 Sidewinder.

The Russian ranks also include multi-purpose Su-35S fighters. These are modern machines that have been produced since 2010. Their distinguishing feature is high maneuverability, and they can carry up to eight tons of weapons on their 12 suspension points. Similar to the MiG-29s, the Su-35S can also carry R-73 and R-77 missiles, with a range of over 62 miles.

The Su-27s, air superiority fighters produced since the 1970s, are another common aircraft type in Russia. Their capabilities are somewhat similar to the modern Su-35S, and they can carry up to eight tons of weapons, featuring two AL-37F engines that propel them to speeds around 2 Mach.

Though the Russian Federation's army, as stated by Ukrainian intelligence, still boasts about 300 planes, it's important to note that the defending forces regularly eliminate multiple aircraft. For example, over the weekend of February 17th and 18th, the Russians lost as many as four planes due to Ukrainian attacks.