 Russia creates elite aircraft group for attacks on Ukraine. British intelligence has reported that Russia is likely to create a new elite attack aircraft group codenamed STORM to operate over the territory of Ukraine. According to the UK Defence Ministry, the unit may include at least one squadron of Su-24 and Su-34 fighter bombers as well as attack helicopter squadrons. Both developed in the Soviet Union, the Su-24 and Su-34 are supersonic all-weather fighter bombers. This combination of aircraft types indicates that the group will play a major role in strikes against ground targets. The UK Defence Ministry is citing Russian media as saying that the Russian Defence Ministry is seeking to attract highly qualified and motivated pilots by offering large payments and is also opening up recruitment to retired pilots. The creation of the group highlights how Russia assesses its regular air force squadrons and how severely they have underperformed in their core function of conducting airstrikes on Ukrainian lines. UK Defence Ministry added, Since 2022, Russia has struggled with the lackluster performance of its air force. Despite having numerical superiority over Ukraine, the Russian air force has failed to establish air superiority. This limits its ability to provide adequate support for Russian ground forces.