1/5) In the last two weeks, there has been an uptick in Russian tactical combat air sorties, especially over southern Ukraine.
(2/5) This has almost certainly been in response to reports of increased Ukrainian offensive operations, as the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) attempt to support ground troops with air strikes.
(3/5) Despite the uptick, VKS’ daily sortie rate remains much lower than the peak of up to 300 daily missions early in the war.
(4/5) Since the start of the invasion, the south of Ukraine has often been more permissible for Russian air operations compared to other sectors of the front.
(5/5) Over the last year, VKS has increased its use of air-to-surface weapons, such as glide bombs, which allow attack aircraft to remain well away from their targets.