Russia will be forced to stop round-the-clock duty of A-50 planes if another one is lost – Chief of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, explained that there are only six A-50 aircraft left in Russia, and if another one is lost, the Russian military will be unable to operate them continuously.

Source: Budanov in a comment to journalists on the sidelines of Ukraine. Year 2024 forum 

Quote: "Six more [left]. [That makes] two complete rotations.

Should another one fall, round-the-clock duty will have to be stopped."

Details: Budanov asserted that the operation was prepared for several weeks but not planned for 23 February in particular, as they were "waiting for the plane, not the date."

Background:

• On 23 February, Ukraine's Defence Forces shot down a Russian A-50 AWACS aircraft. Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian A-50 using a Soviet-era S-200 surface-to-air missile system.
• DIU reported that five more Russian aircraft were recalled from combat operations after the A-50 had been shot down.
• A crew of 10 Russians was killed in a Russian A-50U Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft shot down on 23 February.

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