Russian Aerospace Forces
The Russian Aerospace Forces (Vozdushno-kosmicheskiye sily, VKS) were created on 1 August 2015 by merging the Russian Air Force — itself formed from the Soviet Air Forces in 1992 — with the Aerospace Defence Forces; they fought in Syria from 2015 to 2024 and have flown in the Russian invasion of Ukraine since 24 February 2022, where they have failed to win air superiority.
The Russian Aerospace Forces story: a Soviet inheritance, wars in the Caucasus and Syria, and the invasion of Ukraine
1912–1991: the Soviet inheritance
Russia dates its military aviation to 12 August 1912, the day the Imperial Russian Air Service was formed, and still keeps 12 August as the day of the Aerospace Forces. After the revolution the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Air Fleet was set up on 24 May 1918, and as the Soviet Air Forces it fought the Second World War, secretly sent fighter divisions to Korea through the 64th Fighter Aviation Corps and supported the war in Afghanistan. At its peak around 1980 it had about 10,000 aircraft; in 1990 it still had 7,859. When the Soviet Union broke up at the end of 1991 that fleet was divided among the new states. Russia took the largest share, about 40 per cent of the aircraft and 65 per cent of the manpower, but many of the newest regiments were in Ukraine, Belarus and the other republics.
1992–2008: an air force without money, at war in the Caucasus
The Russian Air Force (Voyenno-vozdushnye sily, VVS) was formed with the new Russian armed forces on 7 May 1992, under General Pyotr Deynekin. The 1990s were the worst decade in its history: flying hours collapsed, pay arrived months late — in 1996 MiG-31 pilots at Yelizovo went on hunger strike — and a 1 July 1993 decision began retiring every single-engined strike type, the MiG-23, MiG-27 and Su-17. In 1998 the air force absorbed the separate Air Defence Forces, with about 580 units disbanded and personnel cut from 318,000 to 185,000. Yet it was also at war. Russian aircraft flew over Abkhazia in 1992–93, and in the two Chechen wars of 1994–96 and 1999–2009 bombed Grozny and the mountain villages in campaigns that human rights groups documented as indiscriminate; estimates of civilian deaths in the first war alone range from 27,000 to 50,000 and more, from all causes.
2008–2015: Georgia, reform and rearmament
The five-day war with Georgia in August 2008 showed how little had changed. Russian aircraft struck targets across Georgia from 8 August, but after early losses to Georgian air defences they paused sorties for two days. Losses are still disputed: the Moscow think tank CAST counted six aircraft, including a Tu-22M3 bomber, Georgia claimed 21, and the Russian Air Force article’s sources put it at four to seven, several possibly to friendly fire. The war triggered the reforms of Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov: by December 2009 the air armies had become commands and most regiments air bases, and aircrew numbers were cut by about 40 per cent. Money finally followed. The Su-34 entered service on 20 March 2014, the Su-35S the same year, the Su-30SM from 2012 and the Yak-130 trainer from 2010, and the share of modern equipment rose, according to figures cited by Wikipedia, from about 35 per cent in 2014 to 72 per cent in late 2017.
2015–2024: Syria and the Aerospace Forces
On 1 August 2015 the Air Force was merged with the Aerospace Defence Forces to create the Aerospace Forces (VKS), with three branches: the Air Force, the Air and Missile Defence Forces and the Space Forces. Eight weeks later, on 30 September 2015, Russian aircraft began strikes in Syria from Khmeimim near Latakia in support of Bashar al-Assad. Syria became a live-fire proving ground: Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 bombers flew their first combat missions, and Su-34, Su-35S, Ka-52, Mi-28N and briefly the Su-57 were all tried in combat. Moscow claimed 28,000 combat missions by August 2017. A Turkish F-16 shot down a Su-24M on 24 November 2015, and Syrian air defences shot down an Il-20M by mistake on 17 September 2018, killing 15. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights attributes 8,763 civilian deaths to Russian operations. After Assad fell in December 2024, Russia began to withdraw.
Since 2022: the Russian invasion of Ukraine
About 300 Russian combat aircraft were ready when Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022 — a war Moscow calls a "special military operation". The VKS struck airfields and air defences in the first hours but never destroyed Ukraine’s air force or its surface-to-air missiles, and after heavy early losses of low-flying Su-25s, Su-34s and helicopters it increasingly fired from behind the front line. From 2023 it found a way to use that stand-off: glide-bomb kits (UMPK) turned old FAB bombs into weapons that Su-34s and Su-35s can release far from Ukrainian missiles. Losses are counted differently by each side. The Ukrainian General Staff claimed 443 Russian aircraft and 356 helicopters destroyed by 30 September 2026. The open-source site Oryx, which counts only losses confirmed by photographs or video, publishes its own type-by-type counts, for example 66 Ka-52s destroyed or damaged by December 2025 and at least 40 Su-25s by October 2025. Russia does not publish its losses.
2024–2026: drones over the bases, new jets, a new commander
Since 2023 the war has reached the VKS’s own bases. Ukrainian drones struck Engels, Soltsy, Akhtubinsk and Lipetsk, according to Ukrainian claims and imagery cited by Wikipedia; two A-50U radar aircraft were shot down in January and February 2024; and on 1 June 2025 Ukraine’s SBU security service launched Operation Spiderweb, drones smuggled on lorries to bases as far as Irkutsk. Ukraine claimed 41 aircraft hit; US officials quoted by Reuters said about 20 hit and 10 destroyed. Meanwhile Russian industry kept delivering Su-35S, Su-34 and Su-57 fighters in small batches despite Western sanctions on the aircraft industry. In May 2026 Colonel General Aleksandr Chayko, a Ground Forces general, was reported to have replaced Viktor Afzalov as commander-in-chief, amid what the Long War Journal described as possible dissatisfaction with how well the VKS protected the rear. And in August 2026 Syria announced that Khmeimim airport would return to civilian administration.
The Russian Aerospace Forces in numbers
Dienst
- Inheemse naam
- Воздушно-космические силы Российской Федерации (ВКС)Russian name as given in Russian Wikipedia; the Ministry of Defence site mil.ru could not be reached from outside Russia on 30 September 2026. The Air Force branch is Военно-воздушные силы (VVS)
- Opgericht
- 1 August 2015Merger of the Russian Air Force (formed 7 May 1992) and the Aerospace Defence Forces. The service marks 12 August 1912, the founding of the Imperial Russian Air Service, as its holiday
- Onderdeel van
- Armed Forces of the Russian FederationOne of the three services, with the Ground Forces and the Navy; three branches: Air Force, Air and Missile Defence Forces, Space Forces
- Hoofdkwartier
- MoscowThe main staff sits in the Ministry of Defence building on Znamenka Street in the Arbat district
- Commander-in-Chief
- Col. Gen. Aleksandr ChaykoReported appointed on 4 May 2026 (RBK, Fighterbomber); not officially confirmed by the Ministry of Defence at the time. Predecessor Col. Gen. Viktor Afzalov (from August 2023)
- Air Force branch
- Lt. Gen. Sergey KobylashDeputy commander-in-chief of the VKS since 24 July 2024 (Kommersant), previously commander of Long-Range Aviation 2016–2024
Kracht
- Personeel
- About 165,000 (2020)Figure in the English Wikipedia infobox; Russian Wikipedia gives 430,000 for 2016; the two figures are not comparable, and Russia publishes no current figure
- Fighters and strike aircraft
-
- Su-57 — small numbers, 76 on contract
- Su-35S — about 110–118
- Su-34 — about 140–160
- Su-30SM/SM2/M2 — about 85–110
- MiG-31BM/BSM/K, MiG-29SMT, Su-27SM and older Su-27
- Su-25SM/SM3 — about 175
- Su-24M/M2 — about 260 listed, many in reserve
FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2025 (December 2024 snapshot) as reproduced on Wikipedia, before later losses. Wartime losses and sanctions make every figure an upper bound
- Long-Range Aviation
-
- Tu-160/Tu-160M — about 17
- Tu-95MS/MSM — 47 listed before June 2025
- Tu-22M3/M3M — 55 listed before June 2025
Operation Spiderweb (1 June 2025) destroyed or damaged several Tu-95s and Tu-22M3s; estimates differ (see combat)
- Special mission and tankers
-
- A-50/A-50U — 12 listed; two shot down in 2024
- Il-78/Il-78M tankers — about 20
- Il-80, Il-20/Il-22, Tu-214R, An-30
Counts before the 2024–2025 losses
- Vervoer
-
- Il-76MD/MD-90A — about 130
- An-124 — 5; An-22 — 4
- An-12, An-26, An-72, An-148, An-140, L-410, Tu-134, Tu-154, Il-62
FlightGlobal 2025 via Wikipedia
- Helikopters
-
- Mi-8/Mi-17 family — about 777
- Mi-24/Mi-35 — about 323
- Ka-52 — about 135
- Mi-28N/NM/UB — about 113
- Mi-26 — about 45
- Ansat-U and Ka-226 trainers and utility
Army aviation helicopters belong to the VKS. Figures are FlightGlobal’s pre-loss snapshot
- Trainers
-
- Yak-130 — about 123
- L-39 Albatros — about 182 listed
- DA42 — 34
- Tu-134UBL bomber-crew trainers
Yak-152 primary trainer on order
Infrastructuur
- Toon teams
-
- Russian Knights (Russkiye Vityazi) — Su-30SM, Kubinka, since 1991
- Swifts (Strizhi) — MiG-29, Kubinka, since 1991
- Falcons of Russia — Lipetsk
The Russian Knights formed in April 1991 and the Swifts on 6 May 1991, both at Kubinka near Moscow
- Combat training centre
- Lipetsk4th Centre for Combat Employment and Retraining of Personnel, the VKS equivalent of Nellis; also the site of the secret German flying school of 1925–1933
- Luchtbases
- Not listed hereWartime dispositions are not published on this page. See the stations list for historical and publicly reported bases
- Air base system
- Since 2009The 2008–2009 reform turned most regiments into air bases; air armies became commands and later air and air defence armies
- Syrië
- Khmeimim — being handed backSyria announced on 9 August 2026 that Hmeimim airport would pass to civilian administration within three months and the base be reorganised as a joint training centre
How the Russian Aerospace Forces is organised
A commander-in-chief and main staff in Moscow over three branches created by the merger of 1 August 2015: the Air Force, the Air and Missile Defence Forces and the Space Forces. Long-Range Aviation flies the strategic bombers, and army aviation’s helicopters also belong to the Aerospace Forces. The reform of 2008–2009 turned most regiments into air bases and the air armies into commands, later air and air defence armies; current dispositions are not given here.
Commander-in-Chief and Main Staff
In the Ministry of Defence building on Znamenka Street, Moscow; the Aerospace Forces are one of three services of the Armed Forces, with the Ground Forces and the Navy. Col. Gen. Aleksandr Chayko was reported appointed commander-in-chief on 4 May 2026 by RBK and other Russian media; the Ministry of Defence had not confirmed it at the time.
Air Force
Formed on 7 May 1992 from the Soviet Air Forces and a branch of the Aerospace Forces since 1 August 2015. It is led by a deputy commander-in-chief, since 24 July 2024 Lt. Gen. Sergey Kobylash (Kommersant). The reform of 2008–2009 turned most regiments into air bases and the air armies into commands, later air and air defence armies.
Long-Range Aviation
Flies the Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3. Kobylash commanded it from 2016 to 2024; the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him on 5 March 2024 over cruise-missile strikes that included Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Air and Missile Defence Forces
One of the three branches created on 1 August 2015, when the Air Force merged with the Aerospace Defence Forces. No positions are given here.
Space Forces
The third branch created by the merger of 1 August 2015.
Legerluchtvaart
Army aviation’s helicopters belong to the Aerospace Forces: the Ka-52, the Mi-28, the Mi-24 and Mi-35, the Mi-26 and the Mi-8 family.
What the Russian Aerospace Forces flies today
Elk type is gekoppeld aan de bijbehorende pagina in het Boek der Beesten, indien aanwezig. Het aantal vliegtuigen betreft de geregistreerde vliegtuigen, niet de vliegtuigen die op een bepaalde dag beschikbaar zijn.
| Type | Rol | In dienst | Sinds | Eenheden | Notities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sukhoi Su-57In dienst | Stealth multirole gevechtsvliegtuig | 2020 | Small numbers; sources disagree.
MeerWikipedia counts one delivered in December 2020, six by the end of 2022 and 12 new aircraft in 2023; the FlightGlobal 2025 table reproduced on Wikipedia gives 29. The 2019 contract is for 76 by 2028. |
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| Sukhoi Su-35SIn dienst | luchtsuperioriteitsjager | 2014 | About 110–118: 110 in December 2022 (Wikipedia), 118+ in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. Five contracts: 48 (2009), 50 (2015), 30 (2020), about 24 (2021) and a fifth after February 2022. | |||
| Sukhoi Su-34In dienst | Strike fighter | 2014 | About 142–163 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table; at least 153 built by December 2022. | |||
| Sukhoi Su-30SM/SM2 and Su-30M2In dienst | Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig | 2012 | About 85–110: about 80 Su-30SM and 4+ Su-30SM2 in 2024 (Wikipedia, excluding the navy), 110+ in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | |||
| Sukhoi Su-27, Su-27SM/SM3 and Su-27UBIn dienst | luchtsuperioriteitsjager | 1992 | Not reliably published; the FlightGlobal figure reproduced on Wikipedia is unclear. Being replaced by the Su-35S. | |||
| Mikoyan MiG-29, MiG-29SMT and MiG-29UBIn dienst | Vechter | 256 | 1992 | 256 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table as reproduced on Wikipedia; the figure looks high and probably includes stored aircraft. | ||
| Mikoyan MiG-35S/UBIn dienst | Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig | 6 | Six in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | |||
| Mikoyan MiG-31BM/BSM and MiG-31KIn dienst | Interceptor and missile carrier | 1992 | Sources disagree widely (about 130 in some counts); over 130 were planned for the BM upgrade, of which 18 had been delivered by 2014. | |||
| Sukhoi Su-25, Su-25SM/SM3 and Su-25UBIn dienst | Luchtsteun op korte afstand | 175 | 1992 | 175 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table; over 80 upgraded to SM standard by 2015. | ||
| Sukhoi Su-24M/M2In dienst | Aanvalsvliegtuigen | 260 | 1992 | About 260 in the VKS in 2025, many reportedly in reserve. | ||
| Tupolev Tu-160 and Tu-160MIn dienst | Strategische bommenwerper | 17 | 1992 | 17 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. A 2018 contract covers ten new-build Tu-160M. | ||
| Tupolev Tu-95MS/MSMIn dienst | Strategic bomber and cruise-missile carrier | 47 | 1992 | 47 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table, before Operation Spiderweb. | ||
| Tupolev Tu-22M3/M3MIn dienst | Long-range bomber | 55 | 1992 | 55 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table, before Operation Spiderweb. | ||
| Beriev A-50 and A-50UIn dienst | Luchtgebaseerde vroegtijdige waarschuwing en controle | 1992 | 12 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table; the BBC reported that Russia had operated six before two were lost in 2024. | |||
| Ilyushin Il-20M, Il-22M and Il-80In dienst | Reconnaissance and airborne command posts | 1992 | Around 12 Il-20, a few Il-22PP jammers and three Il-80 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | |||
| Tupolev Tu-214RIn dienst | Signals and radar reconnaissance | 2 | Two in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | |||
| Ilyushin Il-78/Il-78MIn dienst | Tanker | 20 | 1992 | About 20 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | ||
| Ilyushin Il-76MD, Il-76MD-M and Il-76MD-90AIn dienst | Strategisch transport | 130 | 1992 | About 130 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. The 2012 contract for 39 Il-76MD-90A was followed by about 27 built by late 2025 (six in 2023, six in 2024, seven in 2025, per Wikipedia). | ||
| Antonov An-124-100 RuslanIn dienst | Heavy transport | 5 | 1992 | Five in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | ||
| Antonov An-22A AnteiIn dienst | Heavy turboprop transport | 4 | 1992 | Four in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | ||
| Antonov An-12, An-26, An-72, An-148 and An-140In dienst | Tactisch en multifunctioneel transport | 1992 | About 55 An-12, 115 An-26, 31 An-72, 15 An-148 and 3 An-140 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | |||
| Laat L-410 TurboletIn dienst | Light transport and training | 53 | 1992 | 53 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | ||
| Tupolev Tu-134, Tu-154 and Ilyushin Il-62MIn dienst | Staff and VIP transport | 1992 | Small numbers: about 6 Tu-134, 3 Tu-154 and 7 Il-62M in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | |||
| Yakovlev Yak-130In dienst | Geavanceerde straaltrainer | 123 | 2010 | About 123 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table, 14 more on order. | ||
| Aero L-39 AlbatrosIn dienst | Straaltrainer | 182 | 1992 | 182 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table; how many still fly is not published. | ||
| Diamant DA42In dienst | Multi-engine trainer | 34 | 34 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | |||
| Mil Mi-8/Mi-17 family (Mi-8AMTSh, Mi-8MTV-5 and others)In dienst | Transport- en aanvalshelikopter | 777 | 1992 | About 777 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | ||
| Mil Mi-24P/V and Mi-35MIn dienst | Aanvalshelikopter | 323 | 1992 | About 323 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | ||
| Mil Mi-28N/NM and Mi-28UBIn dienst | Aanvalshelikopter | 113 | 2006 | 94 Mi-28N/NM and 19 Mi-28UB in the FlightGlobal 2025 table, with 98 and 40 more on order. | ||
| Kamov Ka-52 and Ka-52MIn dienst | Aanvalshelikopter | 135 | 2011 | About 135 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table (about 133 in 2022). | ||
| Mil Mi-26/Mi-26TIn dienst | Heavy-lift helicopter | 45 | 1992 | About 45 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | ||
| Kazan Ansat-U and Kamov Ka-226In dienst | Trainings- en lichte utiliteitshelikopter | About 50 Ansat-U and 36 Ka-226 in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | ||||
| Kronshtadt Orion and ForpostIn dienst | Armed and reconnaissance drones |
Op bestelling
| Type | Besteld | Eerste levering | Notities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sukhoi Su-57Op bestelling | 2020 | The June 2019 contract covers 76 aircraft for delivery by 2028.
MeerDeliveries have run slower than planned and yearly totals since 2024 have not been confirmed by an official source reached for this page. |
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| Sukhoi Su-35SOp bestelling | 2014 | Fifth contract signed after February 2022; batches in March, May, June, August, September, November and December 2025 and April, May and August 2026, per Wikipedia citing the manufacturer. | ||
| Sukhoi Su-34Op bestelling | 2014 | Batches delivered through 2024 and in April, July to December 2025. | ||
| Tupolev Tu-160M (new build)Op bestelling | 10 | 2018 contract for ten new-build aircraft; delivery numbers are reported inconsistently. | ||
| Ilyushin Il-76MD-90AOp bestelling | 39 on the 2012 contract; about 27 built by late 2025 per Wikipedia. | |||
| Mil Mi-28NM and Mi-28UBOp bestelling | 138 | 98 Mi-28N/NM and 40 Mi-28UB on order in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. | ||
| Yakovlev Yak-152Op bestelling | 150 | Primary trainer; 150 on order in the FlightGlobal 2025 table. |
Every type the Russian Aerospace Forces has retired
6 types, from the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25RB and MiG-25PU to the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25RB and MiG-25PU. De piekcijfers hebben betrekking op het aantal vliegtuigen dat gedurende de gehele levensduur in gebruik is genomen, niet op de vlootsterkte op een bepaalde datum.
| Type | Rol | Piek | Geserveerd | Vervangen door | Notities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25RB and MiG-25PU | Reconnaissance-bomber and interceptor | 1992–2013 | Su-24MR, Su-34 | About 40 MiG-25R and 30 conversion trainers still listed in 2011. | ||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 | Jachtvliegtuig en onderscheppingsvliegtuig | 1992–1998 | MiG-29, Su-27 | |||
| Mikoyan MiG-27 | Jachtbommenwerper | 1992–1998 | Su-24, Su-25 | |||
| Sukhoi Su-17M3/M4 and Su-17UM3 | Jachtbommenwerper en verkenningsvliegtuig | 1992–1998 | Su-24M, Su-25 | |||
| Tupolev Tu-16 | Bomber, tanker and reconnaissance | 1992–1995 | Tu-22M3 | |||
| Kamov Ka-50 | Aanvalshelikopter | 1995– | Ka-52 | About a dozen delivered in the 1990s, three more in 2009. |
Where the Russian Aerospace Forces fly from
Zwarte pinnen geven actieve bases aan, holle pinnen de vliegvelden die gesloten zijn. This is a selection of historically important and publicly reported bases, not a complete list; no current squadron dispositions or aircraft counts are given, and every strike claim is attributed to the side that makes it. Belbek and Saky are in Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014 and considered part of Ukraine by UN General Assembly resolution 68/262 and most states; Saky belongs to the Black Sea Fleet’s naval aviation, not to the Aerospace Forces. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
Rusland
One of the 15 bases above sits outside Russia, so the world map has to pull back until the home airfields cannot be told apart. The same pins again, without the overseas base.
| Baseren | ICAO | Status | Startbaan | Eenheden en vliegtuigen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AkhtubinskVladimirovkaAstrakhan Oblast | URWH | Actief | 12L/30R4.000 mconcreet12R/30L2500 mconcreet | |
| BelayaIrkutsk Oblast | UIIB | Actief |
|
|
| BelbekSevastopolCrimea (Sevastopol; annexed by Russia in 2014, considered part of Ukraine by the UN General Assembly and most states) | UKFB | Actief |
|
|
| ChkalovskyMoscow Oblast (Shchyolkovo) | UUMU | Actief |
|
|
| Engels-2Saratov Oblast | Actief |
|
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| KhmeimimHmeimim, SyriaLatakia Governorate, Syria | Actief | 17R/35L2,797 m17L/35R2,797 m | ||
| KubinkaMoscow Oblast | UUMB | Actief | 04/222500 mconcreet |
|
| LipetskLipetsk Oblast | Actief |
|
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| MillerovoRostov Oblast | Actief | |||
| MorozovskRostov Oblast | Actief |
|
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| OlenyaMurmansk Oblast (Kola Peninsula) | Actief |
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| SakyNovofedorivkaCrimea (annexed by Russia in 2014, considered part of Ukraine by the UN General Assembly and most states) | UKFI | Actief | 04R/22L3,175 mconcreet | |
| SavasleykaNizhny Novgorod Oblast | Actief |
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| ShaykovkaKaluga Oblast | Actief |
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| UkrainkaAmur Oblast | UHBU | Actief | 03/213.500 mconcreet |
|
Geen enkele luchtmachtbasis voldoet aan die zoekopdracht.
Who is stationed where in the Russian Aerospace Forces
Flying units by base, current units first, as named in published sources. No unit carries an aircraft count, and the listings rest on pre-war and open-source reporting, not on current dispositions. Soviet, German, Ukrainian and naval units that flew from the same fields are listed too, each marked as such.
- Russian Knights (Russkiye Vityazi) aerobatic teamRusskiye Vityazi · Aerobatic display team · active
- Su-27 (1991–2016), Su-30SM (from October 2016), Su-35S (from 2019 or 2020)
- Swifts (Strizhi) aerobatic teamStrizhi · Aerobatic display team · active
- MiG-29 en MiG-29UB
- 237th Centre for the Display of Aviation EquipmentDisplay and demonstration centre · active
- MiG-29, Su-27, Su-24, Su-25, Su-17
- 32nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (Soviet Air Forces)1950–1989
- MiG-19, MiG-21F-13
- 324th Svirskaya Fighter Aviation Division (Soviet Air Forces)1945–1950
- Fighters (types not listed)
- 4th Centre for Combat Employment and Retraining of PersonnelCombat training, tactics development and conversion centre · active
- Su-34, Su-35S, Su-30SM, MiG-29, Su-24M, Yak-130
- 968th Fighter (earlier Mixed) Aviation RegimentInstructor-research regiment · active
- MiG-29, Su-24M, Su-34
- 760th and 91st regiments (Soviet and early Russian period)
- MiG-29, Su-27, Su-25, Su-24, MiG-23, Su-17
- Reichswehr flying school and test station (WIWUPAL)1926–1933
- Fokker D.XIII
- 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation RegimentStrategic bomber regiment · active
- Tu-160 / Tu-160M
- 184th Heavy Bomber Aviation RegimentStrategic bomber regiment · active
- Tu-95MS
- 201st Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Soviet)1954–
- Myasishchev M-4 and 3M, 3MS/3MN tankers
- 8th Special Purpose Aviation Division (later 6991st Air Base)Special-purpose transport division · active
- Transport and special-purpose aircraft
- State Red Banner Scientific Research Institute of the Air Force (NII VVS)1932–1960
- All Soviet military prototypes
- 559th Bomber Aviation RegimentBomber regiment · active
- Su-34, Su-24M (earlier)
- 204th Tactical Aviation Brigade (Ukrainian Air Force)2007–2014
- MiG-29
- 62nd Fighter Aviation Regiment (Soviet)1947–1991
- Su-15TM, Su-27 (from 1996, under Ukraine)
- 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Russian)2014–2022
- Su-27, Su-30
- 40th Composite Aviation RegimentLong-range aviation regiment · active
- Tu-22M3, Tu-95MS (deployed)
- 924th Naval Reconnaissance (Missile) Aviation Regiment (Soviet Navy)
- Tu-22M
- 88th Separate Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment
- MiG-27
- 200th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation RegimentLong-range bomber regiment · active
- Tu-22M3
- 79th and 182nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation RegimentsStrategic bomber regiments · active
- Tu-95MS
- 52nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation RegimentLong-range bomber regiment · active
- Tu-22M3, Tu-16 (to 1980s)
- 73rd Guards Interceptor Aviation Regiment
- MiG-29
- 148th Combat Employment and Retraining Centre (Air Defence Aviation)Interceptor training and conversion centre · active
- MiG-31, Su-27, Tu-128 (from 1964)
Geen enkel apparaat voldoet aan die zoekopdracht.
Russian Aerospace Forces milestones, 1914 to today
12 August: the Imperial Russian Air Service is formed; the date is still the holiday of the Aerospace Forces.
24 May: the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Air Fleet is established, forerunner of the Soviet Air Forces.
The Russian Knights (April) and the Swifts (6 May) display teams form at Kubinka. December: the Soviet Union dissolves; Russia inherits about 40 per cent of its aircraft.
7 May: the Russian armed forces are created; General Pyotr Deynekin becomes the first commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force.
19 March: a Russian Su-27 is shot down near Gudauta during the war in Abkhazia. 1 July: the Air Force decides to retire its single-engined strike aircraft.
December: the air campaign of the first Chechen war begins over Grozny.
The Air Defence Forces are merged into the Air Force; about 580 units disbanded and personnel cut from 318,000 to 185,000.
26 August: acknowledged Russian air raids on Chechnya begin the second Chechen war.
17 August: President Putin announces the resumption of long-range bomber patrols.
8–12 August: war with Georgia; losses of four to seven aircraft, including a Tu-22M3, prompt the Serdyukov reforms, completed by December 2009.
20 March: the Su-34 formally enters service; February: ten Su-35S handed to the 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment.
1 August: the Aerospace Forces are formed. 30 September: strikes in Syria begin. 24 November: a Turkish F-16 shoots down a Su-24M.
February: two Su-57 prototypes deploy to Syria. 17 September: an Il-20M is shot down by Syrian air defences, killing 15.
24 February: Russia invades Ukraine; about 300 combat aircraft are committed.
24 June: the Wagner Group shoots down an Il-22M and helicopters during its rebellion. 23 August: Viktor Afzalov named acting commander-in-chief.
14 January and 23 February: two A-50Us shot down. 5 March: ICC warrant for Sergey Kobylash. 8 December: Assad falls; Russia begins withdrawing from Syria.
1 June: Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb strikes five bomber bases, from Olenya to Belaya.
4 May: Aleksandr Chayko reported appointed commander-in-chief. 9 August: Syria announces Hmeimim airport will return to civilian administration.
Every war the Russian Aerospace Forces and their predecessors have fought
Uitvallen en verliezen waar de gegevens die vermelden, en een eerlijke blanco waar die ontbreken.
- The Second World War (Great Patriotic War) 1941–1945 The Soviet Air Forces fought the Luftwaffe from the first morning of the German invasion to Berlin
- De Koreaanse Oorlog 1950–1953 Soviet MiG-15 regiments of the 64th Fighter Aviation Corps secretly defended North Korea and the Yalu bridges against UN aircraft
- The Soviet war in Afghanistan 1979–1989 Supported the 40th Army with fighter-bombers, attack aircraft, bombers and helicopters
- The war in Abkhazia 1992–1993 Russian aircraft struck Georgian positions and Sukhumi; Russia’s government denied direct involvement at the time
- The first Chechen war 1994–1996 Bombed Grozny and Chechen villages from 1 December 1994; attack helicopters supported ground forces
The Russian Aerospace Forces display teams
Each team has its own page: history, aircraft, the display, the accidents and the sources.
Russian Aerospace Forces news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Russian Aerospace Forces and the aircraft it flies. Deze lijst wordt automatisch vernieuwd — nieuwe Afterburner-verhalen verschijnen hier automatisch.
Everything people ask about the Russian Aerospace Forces
What is the Russian Aerospace Forces called in Russian?
What aircraft does the Russian Aerospace Forces fly?
When was the Russian Aerospace Forces founded?
Who commands the Russian Aerospace Forces?
How many aircraft has Russia lost in Ukraine?
What was Operation Spiderweb?
Did Russia lose A-50 radar planes?
What did the Russian Aerospace Forces do in Syria?
Who are the Russian Knights and the Swifts?
Read the aircraft the Russian Aerospace Forces flew
Elk type met een pagina in het Boek der Dieren, eerst op basis van de periode dat het in dienst was, daarna op basis van het jaar waarin het de vloot verliet.
Alle feiten gecontroleerd
- Radio Svoboda (RFE/RL): Chayko becomes VKS commander-in-chief, media report (4 May 2026)Report via RBK and Fighterbomber; not officially confirmed; EU sanctions March 2026; Ukrainian accusations.
- Long War Journal: Russian Aerospace Forces reportedly get new commander (May 2026)Fighterbomber, RBK and Vedomosti reports; Afzalov since August 2023; context on VKS performance.
- Kommersant: Kobylash appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the VKS (24 July 2024)Appointment and successor at Long-Range Aviation.
- SANA: Syria-Russia memorandum on Hmeimim airport (9 August 2026)Hmeimim airport to pass to civilian administration within three months.
- Ukrinform: Russian forces lose another 1,470 troops (30 September 2026), citing the Ukrainian General StaffUkrainian claim: 443 aircraft and 356 helicopters since 24 February 2022.
- Oryx: Attack on Europe — documenting Russian equipment lossesVisually confirmed losses only. The aircraft section could not be read in full; per-type Oryx figures are taken as cited on Wikipedia type pages.
- Russian Knights (Russkiye Vityazi): team history (russianknights.ru)Team’s own history: May 1989 group, 5 April 1991 formation, 24 August 1991 Poznań, UK 1991, Cam Ranh 12 December 1995 victims, Kubinka Diamond MAKS 2007, joint formations, Tkachenko decree 22 August 2009.
- UN General Assembly resolution 68/262, Territorial integrity of Ukraine (27 March 2014)Adopted 100 in favour, 11 against, 58 abstentions.
- OurAirports luchthavendatabase (openbaar domein)
Cijfers geverifieerd op 30-09-2026. De pagina's van Order of Battle worden opnieuw gegenereerd vanuit één dataset; als een getal hier niet overeenkomt met een pagina in Book of Beasts, is deze pagina de meest recente van de twee.
Photographs: Photo: Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Oleg Belyakov / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Anna Zvereva / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Mike Humphreys, U.S. Army / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Vitaly V. Kuzmin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: IRONHIDE / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Fedor Leukhin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Aeroprints.com / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Dmitry Avdeev / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Thomas Doscher / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Papas Dos from Moscow, Russia / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: Dmitry Petrov / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Sergey Bulanov / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Igor Dvurekov / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Alex Beltyukov – RuSpotters Team / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)