Ukraine may have damaged MiG-31 fighters as a result of strike on Belbek airfield - Defense Express

Ukraine may have damaged MiG-31 fighters as a result of strike on Belbek airfield - Defense Express

Kyiv  •  UNN

May 15 2024, 11:17 AM  •  100430 views

A missile strike on a Russian airfield in occupied Crimea could have damaged MiG-31 fighters. In total, 24 airplanes and six helicopters can be counted at this base.

As a result of a missile strike on the Russian airfield in the occupied Crimea, the Mig-31 fighters of the Defense Forces could be damaged. This is reported by UNN with reference to the material of Defense Express.

Details

The publication explained that according to satellite imagery as of March 31, this base was recorded: 

  •   10 Su27/30
  •   4 MiG-31
  •   6 MiG-29
  •   3 Л-39
  •   4 Mi-8
  •   2 Ka27/29
  •   1 Su-25

In total (excluding possible vehicles in shelters), there are 24 airplanes and six helicopters at the air base.

The publication explains that an OSINT specialist from Osinttechnical found out using data from the NASA FIRMS fire monitoring system that several fires had been going on at Belbek Air Base for two hours on the night of April 15, approximately in the southern part of the airfield.

If we compare these images and the map of fires on the airfield after the strike, we can assume that ATACMS could have hit the MiG-31 first of all, with the correction that we are still talking about satellite images that are more than two weeks old

- they say in  Defence Express.

Recall

The Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported that on the night of May 15, explosions were recorded near the Belbek airfield in the occupied Crimea .

Later, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed this information and assured that Russian air defense allegedly destroyed "ten operational and tactical missiles" over the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimean peninsula.