Vladimir Putin’s troops are still significantly weaker than Ukraine when it comes to aerospace power, according to British officials. 

The UK’s Ministry of defence explained in an update on social media that Russia has “failed to gain air superiority over Ukraine” over the course of the war, despite having both “technological and numeral advantage”.

That means Moscow is especially vulnerable to attacks on its “strategic military sites”, according to the MoD, allowing Kyiv to strike at the heart of Russia’s war machine. 

Ukraine managed to hit four Russian strategic ammunition depots in September 2024, hundreds of kilometers from the border.

The MoD said: “The total tonnage of ammunition destroyed across the sites represents the largest loss of Russian, and North Korean supplied, ammunition during the war.”

The intelligence officials added: “Such Ukrainian successes highlight Russia’s continued inability to protect strategic military sites from attack, as well as indicating the challenge confronting Russia to protect its infrastructure balanced against protecting its operations at the front line.”

However, the MoD noted that the Kremlin is now using tactical level aviation as airborne artillery so it can “recuperate” its long range aviation fleet.

This means Ukraine faces a “busy, complex and challenging” situation when it comes to air defence, which is how Russia has managed to reach “Ukrainian critical national infrastructure and air bases”.

This analysis comes as tensions over the war reach new heights.

US president Donald Trump is pushing to end the conflict sooner rather than later, and had a blazing row with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy last Friday over America’s military support for beleaguered Kyiv.

After leaving the White House early, Zelenskyy flew to London where Keir Starmer hosted a European leaders’ summit to discuss how the continent can continue supporting Ukraine amid Putin’s ongoing aggression – and Trump’s wavering aid.

The US currently sends the most military support to Ukraine to help it defend itself against Russia.

There are concerns Trump could withdraw that backing to force an end to the war, and even push Ukraine to cede occupied territory to Putin in the name of peace.

Starmer has pledged to put British “boots of the ground” to help secure peace in Ukraine if a deal is already in place. 

He said he is working with French president Emmanuel Macron and other European counterparts to construct a plan to present to Trump aimed at finally ending the conflict.