BLUF

The commander of the Ukrainian armed forces, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, claims that Ukrainian troops have brought down 278 Russian aircraft in the eight months since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Summary

This article by David Axe, writing for Forbes, makes the following points:
  • That number is likely to be an exaggeration.
  • Independent analysts have confirmed the destruction of 184 Russian aircraft.
  • The Ukrainians have captured another 73 aircraft, bringing the total to 257 confirmed Russian losses.
  • Most of the Russian losses are small drones, which are easier for Russia to replace.

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