Ukrainian Air Force reveals remaining A-50 aircraft in Russia

In Russia, fewer than eight long-range A-50 radar detection aircraft remain. One such aircraft was destroyed February 23, by the Ukrainian Defense Forces, reports Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat during a televised marathon.
"The successes we have today, this extended arm, the ability to reach the enemy where they absolutely don't expect it, speak to the fact that the adversary will have fewer capabilities in this direction after losing the A-50," he said.
The spokesperson noted that the destroyed aircraft had been modernized. As explained by Ihnat, the A-50 is essentially a radar that can observe and scan, detecting all aerial targets within a radius of 600 km and identifying electronic warfare systems.
"We need to look at the intelligence data. The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, said there were eight aircraft before this. Not all of them were operational, and not all of them were modernized. So, there were only a few of them left," Ihnat added.
On February 23 Defense Forces of Ukraine reported that a Russian A-50 aircraft was shot down over the Sea of Azov. This is the second A-50 that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have destroyed since the beginning of the war.
According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, the A-50U is a new modernized version of the aircraft. The cost of the destroyed aircraft is $350 million.
The Russians used such an airborne command post for long-range radar detection, control, and guidance for strikes against Ukraine with missiles from strategic aviation.