What Happened To Russia's Air Force?

FILE PHOTO: Russian Sukhoi Su-35 jet fighters fire missiles during the Aviadarts competition outside Ryazan. © Reuters/Maxim Shemetov 

Reuters: What happened to Russia's Air Force? U.S. officials, experts stumped 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, U.S. intelligence had predicted a blistering assault by Moscow that would quickly mobilize the vast Russian air power that its military assembled in order to dominate Ukraine's skies. 

But the first six days have confounded those expectations and instead seen Moscow act far more delicately with its air power, so much so that U.S. officials can't exactly explain what's driving Russia's apparent risk-averse behavior. 

"They're not necessarily willing to take high risks with their own aircraft and their own pilots," a senior U.S. defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.  

Read more ....  

Update #1: Why hasn’t Russia mobilised its vast air power against Ukraine? (Al Jazeera) 

Update #2: Five Reasons Why Russian Forces Are Struggling in Ukraine (Defense One)  

WNU Editor: The Russian air force is there, and I prefer them to stay hidden wherever they are. Unleashed they would raise the death toll and destruction to an unbelievable level .... far more than what it is today. And if you add in strategic bombers .... you just do not want to go there. That, and probably because of that, is the reason why the air force is being held back (for now).

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