Russia's air force looks intact on paper but is quietly being worn down from the inside, which is bad news for Moscow's long-term military strength even as it keeps bombing Ukraine for now.

• Russian jets are flying far more hours than designed for, since air bases had to move back from the front to dodge Ukrainian drone and missile strikes, adding extra flight time to every mission.
• Fighters now burn hours flying escort for glide-bomb strikes, hunting Ukrainian drones, and patrolling the front, all of which pile up wear on aircraft that are mostly old Soviet designs with short lifespans and scarce spare parts.
• The strain is showing: a strategic bomber crashed after losing three engines, and two fighters crashed on the same day, pointing to equipment and crews being pushed past safe limits.
• Because many worn-out parts are no longer made, mechanics are cannibalizing retired jets to fix others, a fix that speeds up the collapse of the whole fleet over time.
• Russia can't build new jets fast enough to offset this damage, so newer aircraft are being overworked while older Soviet-era jets quietly stop flying in practice.

Outlook: Russian air power is likely to keep shrinking as worn-out jets are retired faster than replacements can be built, leaving Moscow with a much weaker air force once the war ends.