Number of fighter jets decreases and new fortifications are built at Engels airfield in Russia
The number of combat-ready aircraft at Russia’s Engels airfield has decreased significantly over the past month, and protective barriers have also appeared.
Source: investigative project Skhemy (Schemes), referring to Planet Labs satellite images from 7 January
Details: Satellite images show a decrease in the number of combat-ready bombers at Engels strategic aviation airfield. According to Skhemy, there are only six of them left: four Tu-95s and two Tu-160s. Compared to the pictures taken on 6 December 2022, there were about two dozen such aircraft.
Judging by satellite images, there is also a partially disassembled Tu-95, an IL-76 or IL-78 transport plane and a Tu-154 passenger plane at the airfield.
In addition, the satellite recorded protective barriers that appeared next to the runway in the eastern part of the airfield. Skhemy project, citing military experts, suggests that this could serve as protection against debris from a possible detonation of explosive devices.
Reference: The Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers are actively used by Russia to launch missiles over Ukraine.
Read also: Threat from the sky. What planes and helicopters does Russia use in war with Ukraine
Background:
- On 5 December, the Engels and Dyagilyaevo airfields were attacked, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, by Soviet-made jet drones modified by Ukraine to carry explosives.
- These attacks damaged at least a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber (Backfire-C) and a Tu-95MS "Bear" (Bear-H) bomber.
- On 29 December, the UK Ministry of Defense suggested that one of the reasons Ukrainian drones were able to reach so deep into Russian airspace was that Moscow had moved a significant part of its air defence systems to Ukraine.
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