Satellite images show fighter jets damaged at airfield in Russia on 19 May by drones – video, photo

Skhemy project's investigative journalists have published Planet Labs satellite images showing the aftermath of a Ukrainian drone attack on the Kushchevsk airfield in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, on the night of 18-19 May.

Source: Skhemy, an investigative reporting project by Radio Liberty 

Details: At the request of Skhemy and the Russian service of Radio Svoboda, aviation expert Anatolii Khrapchynskyi analysed the satellite images and noted that at least two Russian fighter jets had been damaged at the airfield.

"The Su-30, which has hardly changed its position since 11 May and is located next to the damaged Su-27, could also have been damaged."

Airfield in Kushchevsk, Russia.

Photo: Skhemy

Khrapchynskyi also noted that most of the Russian fighter jets were removed from the airfield after the Ukrainian UAV strikes.

Супутникові знімки Planet Labs, на яких видно наслідки атаки українських дронів по аеродрому “Кущевська” у Краснодарському краї Росії в ніч на 19 травня

ВІДЕО: проєкт Радіо Свобода "Схеми" pic.twitter.com/PipeXEZ1PX

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— Українська правда ✌️ (@ukrpravda_news) May 24, 2024

In addition, the aviation expert added that the Kushchevsk airfield is a training base for the Krasnodar Higher Military Aviation School, where Russians train future pilots. However, Russia is now also using this airfield to attack Ukrainian positions.

Background:

• On the night of 18-19 May, Russia's Defence Ministry claimed that its air defence systems destroyed 60 UAVs over Russia’s Belgorod Oblast and Krasnodar Krai, as well as one drone and nine ATACMS missiles over occupied Crimea.
• A source of Ukrainska Pravda in the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) said that on the night of 18-19 May, drones of the SSU and the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the Kushchevsk military airfield and the Slavyansk oil refinery plant in Russia. Dozens of different aircraft attacking Ukrainian positions on the contact line were stationed at this airfield: Su-34, Su-25, Su-27 and MiG-29, the source said.

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