According to open-source information, Russia has lost at least 31 military pilots in the war.
US and UK intelligence assessments say that Russia has not gained an advantag Europe and the West are providing Ukraine with a steady stream of military hardware. And a large number of drones and some fighter planes are being added to Ukraine’s arsenal. Russian Telegram channels featured news of the major-general’s death. And three of his former subordinates confirmed Botashev’s death to the BBC. The “Fighter Bomber” forum for military pilots in Russia posted a message, “Goodbye Commander. There are few people on this planet who lived in the sky like you. The sky takes the best, today it took you.” In past wars retired Russian military personnel have not participated. But it has been reported that at least nine, over the age of 50, retired Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine. The 63-year-old retired air force commander was dismissed from the military in 2013 for crashing a Su-25 plane that he was not supposed to be piloting. His former soldiers enlisted again because Air Force major Botashev “simply could not stay away” from the battle. Air force commander previously retired
