On 24 February 2022, the Russian Federation launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine. Despite all predictions to the contrary, Ukraine survived the initial blow and repelled Russia’s attempts to seize Kyiv. As the war on the ground expanded from March through to June of 2022, so also it expanded in the air, and Russia’s Aerospace Forces (Vozdushno-kosmicheskiye Sily, VKS) fought the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Povitriyani syly Zbroiynyh syl Ukrayini, PSZSU).

Although largely outclassed in air-to-air combat by more advanced Russian aircraft and missiles, the PSZSU continued to fight an uneven contest using its manned aircraft and ground-based air defences to deny total control of the air to the VKS. Using aircraft from rough forward operating bases and learning to conduct missile engagements using guerrilla tactics to avoid Russian suppression of enemy air defence missions, Ukraine inflicted painful losses on the enemy, but not without suffering many downed aircraft, destroyed missile systems, and personnel casualties in return. On the other hand, the VKS was often just as hampered by its own muddled leadership, flawed doctrine, and lack of a clear Russian airpower strategy that rendered it closely tied to the ground war and unable to exert a decisive influence on the conflict.

In parallel to the air campaign, a war of rockets and missiles was being waged against tactical, operational and strategic targets on both sides that saw extensive use of artillery rocket systems, and ballistic and cruise missiles launched from the ground, at sea and from the air. While many of these missiles would be defeated by air defence systems, or simply miss their targets, others would inflict heavy damage. Volume 7 of the War in Ukraine strand in the Europe@War series draws on a wide range of sources to provide a detailed examination of the military aspects of the air and missile campaign that developed in the skies above Ukraine between March and June 2022. It includes overviews of the weapons systems employed by both sides, analysis of the tactics, and of the successes and failures of both sides, and a detailed account of the campaign for Snake Island that would see the sinking of Moskva, flagship of the Black Sea Fleet.