Pletenchuk says after losing BE-12, Russia steps up aerial reconnaissance but nears resource limits

This was announced on television by Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk, according to a Ukrinform correspondent.

"They [the Russians] have BE-200s, which are a newer version, but in addition to these aircraft, they also use helicopters and other similar propeller aircraft, and this complicates logistics a little, as other aircraft have to be used for this, but the number of aircraft flights is really large – dozens per day," the spokesman said.

Pletenchuk added that the Russian occupiers use various types of drones, including operational-tactical ones, as well as armed drones such as Orion, Forpost, and Mohajer-6.

“If we keep going at this pace, the Russians will have a pretty serious problem with providing these anti-drone flights,” he said.

Pletenchuk also noted that Russia's loss of BE-12 aircraft is positive news for Ukraine, as these anti-submarine aircraft allowed for effective surveillance of the surface situation, so their destruction complicates the enemy's work at sea.

As reported by Ukrinform, soldiers from the Ghosts special forces unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine burned two Russian BE-12 Chaika amphibious anti-submarine aircraft in Crimea and destroyed a Mi-8 multi-purpose helicopter.

Ukrinform photos can be purchased here.