Russia has not deployed an A-50 early warning and control aircraft for days, Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on air on Feb. 27 after Russia lost its second plane of this model.

The Russian Air Force has recently lost two of its A-50 planes, one in January and another on Feb. 23, reportedly due to Ukrainian attacks. One such aircraft costs around $330 million.

"The intensity of the A-50 aircraft's use has decreased. They have been gone for several days," Ihnat said.

"They (Russia) decided not to send more and more planes... they have only a few such special equipment pieces in service."

The spokesperson reminded that in addition to the two destroyed planes, one was reportedly damaged in Belarus last year, and the extent of its repairs remains unclear.

The plane stationed at the Machulishchy airfield near Minsk was damaged in a series of explosions in February 2023 in an alleged attack by Belarusian partisans.

According to Ignat, Russia is considering whether further use of A-50 planes is worth the risk.

Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said on Feb. 25 that Russia has only six planes of this model left in service. Should Moscow lose one more, it would be unable to operate them round-the-clock, he added.

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