Russia relocates anti-aircraft missile forces to the north of Crimea - "Skhemi"

OLENA ROSHCHINA — SUNDAY, 8 MAY 2022, 13:38

A satellite has recorded the relocation of military equipment, in particular, the Russian army’s anti-aircraft missile forces, to the north of occupied Crimea - to the village of Filativka, located near the Kherson region.

Source: "Skhemi," Radio Svoboda project

Details: The Russian military has deployed equipment in two sections of the village of Filativka. In May, the amount of military equipment increased at one of these sites, according to a satellite image from Planet Labs taken on 6 May, which is in the possession of "Skhemi."

According to a military expert who analysed the image at the request of journalists, in addition to the barracks, there is also a fuel and lubricant depot in this area.

The image also shows about two hundred armoured combat vehicles of various types, as well as trucks and command vehicles.

Separately, large-scale equipment appeared in the image, which, according to the expert, may be anti-aircraft and missile mobile complexes.

"Going by its appearance, this could be one of three types of anti-aircraft missile systems, namely: a ‘Smerch’ multiple launch rocket system, a S-300 anti-aircraft system or an ‘Iskander’ operational-tactical missile system," the military expert said.

Such equipment can be used to shell the positions of the Ukrainian military.

Another satellite image of this area for 27 April showed much less equipment.

In another part of Filativka, where there is also military equipment, its quantity has hardly changed. As of the end of April and beginning of May, the area is dominated by military trucks and various types of armoured combat vehicles.

Barracks housing Russian border guards have been located in the village of Filativka since 2018.

On 3 May, "Skhemi" reported that the Russians were relocating military equipment to the eastern borders of Ukraine - to the Kharkiv and Luhansk regions. The Russian military has deployed a significant amount of equipment to the Belgorod region.

In the last week, the Russian army has been launching more missile attacks on Ukraine, and air-raid alerts have been activated several times a day, often across the entire territory of the state.