- Ukraine said it took out three Russian jets in quick succession, which would be a rare feat.
- War experts said that Russia's air force appeared to decrease its activity in response.
- The experts, from the Institute for the Study of War, said it could give Ukraine an opening.
A Ukrainian killstreak against Russian combat jets may have forced it to pull back on airstrikes, experts said Sunday.
The commander of the Ukrainian Air Force claimed Ukraine took down three Su-34 fighter/bombers on Thursday and Friday.
(Three takedowns in quick succession would be remarkable — per Ukraine's own claims it destroys an average of 3.5 jets per week).
The Russian air force quietened down after that, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
Citing various Ukrainian officials, its December 24 update said that Russian was pulling back on aviation activity in general.
It also said that Russia was notably pulling back on using glide bombs — a type of winged bomb that can fly a significant distance after being dropped.
Glide bombs are generally seen as a safer options for Russian jets, because they can launch them without getting too close to Ukraine's air defenses.
To pull back on even that kind of strike could be a sign of Russia's air force becoming extra cautious.
On Monday, after the ISW assessment, Ukraine said it had extended its killstreak even further, claiming to take down another Su-34 and an Su-30 fighter jet.
Russia also claimed to have taken down a bumper crop of Ukrainian jets on Sunday, claiming to have knocked out three Su-27s and an Su-24.
Per the ISW, a letup in aerial activity could give Ukraine a chance to firm up its control in the Kherson region, including on the east bank of the Dnipro river where it has a small foothold it captured in a series of daring raids.
Yurii Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force, recently told Ukrainian TV after the first three strikes that it was a "brilliantly planned operation" and that a fighter jet such as the Su-34 "has not been included in our positive statistics for a long time."
It's not clear how exactly the Ukrainians were able to mount the attacks, but analysts recently said Ukrainian forces may have been able to launch a Western-supplied Patriot missile system from the western side of the river, according to Reuters.
