RIGHT SPEAK: UKR's Air Defense Notches a String of Successes; 80+ Combat Clashes On Front Line-Past Day; Drones Are Changing How Wars Are Fought; UKR Aircraft Launch 22 Strikes on RU Positions; UKR Kills 980 RU Soldiers, Destroys 24 Artillery Systems, LIVE UPDATES and MORE

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Ukraine's air defense notches a string of successes against Russian air power:

Ukraine has destroyed at least seven Russian planes since the beginning of December, a landmark military achievement for the country and a significant blow to Russia. The sharp uptick in downing planes in recent weeks emerges as a bright spot for Ukraine amid a lack of progress on the battlefield.

Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi confirmed on Jan. 15 that Ukraine had destroyed a Russian Beriev A-50 military observation plane and an Ilyushin Il-22 plane that operates as an airborne command post. The downing came less than a month after Ukraine shot down four Russian planes within one week — three Russian Su-34 supersonic fighter-bomber aircraft and one Su-34 fighter-bomber jet near occupied Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast.

The A-50 alone reportedly costs $330 million, and although estimates vary, Western sources say that Russia has fewer than 10 in its fleet. The head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, told FT on Jan. 15 that Russia only has eight A-50 planes. Belarusian partisans attacked another A-50 aircraft at an airbase near Minsk in February 2023, causing an unknown amount of damage.

Russia's supply of the Il-22 plane is not extensive either. During the short-lived rebellion of the late Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner mercenary group in June 2023, the mutineers reportedly shot down an Il-22 and six Russian military helicopters. At the time, the U.K. Defense Ministry said that Russia only had 12 such aircraft.

Beyond Ukraine's downing of the planes, another Su-34 jet was allegedly burned down on Jan. 4 at the Shagol airbase outside of the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, some 2,000 kilometers east of the Ukrainian border.

Earlier on Jan. 4, Ukrainska Pravda reported that HUR was behind the torching, citing an undisclosed intelligence source. The Su-34 costs up to $50 million, Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said.

Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on Dec. 17 that Russian air defenses shot down its own Su-25 jet, which costs around $11 million. Ukraine's Air Force also destroyed a Russian Su-24M bomber on Dec. 5.

All told, the combined monetary loss of all these aircraft since the beginning of December could be north of $600 million. --->READ MORE HERE

Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Over 80 combat clashes recorded on front line in past day, situation is complicated – General Staff report:

The situation in the combat zone in the east and south of Ukraine remains difficult. Since the beginning of the day there have been 86 combat clashes.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook , information as of 18:00 on 15 January

Quote: "The operational situation in the east and south of Ukraine remains difficult.

During the day there were 86 combat clashes recorded during the day. In total, the enemy inflicted 1 missile strike and 31 airstrikes and carried out 51 attacks from multiple-launch missile systems at the positions of our troops and settlements."

Details: The General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled two attacks on the Kupiansk front (near the settlement of Synkivka), 12 attacks on the Lyman front , and 18 attacks near Serebrianka Forest and Bilohorivka (Luhansk Oblast), as well as Hrihoriivka and Verkhnokamianske (Donetsk Oblast).

On the Bakhmut front , the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled six attacks. Sixteen attacks were repelled on the Avdiivka front, and 15 more in the vicinity of Sieverne, Pervomaiske and Nevelske, Donetsk Oblast.

On the Marinka front, the Russians unsuccessfully tried to break through the defence of the Ukrainian Armed Forces 11 times. On the Zaporizhzhia front , Ukrainian troops repelled two attacks.

Quote: "The enemy does not abandon the intention to oust our units from the bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnipro River. During the day, the enemy carried out one unsuccessful assault on the positions of our troops," the General Staff added. --->READ MORE HERE