Reaction to counteroffensive: Russia redeploys 20 helicopters to airfield in Berdiansk

of Berdiansk with the beginning of counteroffensive operations of Ukraine’s Defence Forces on the Zaporizhzhia front.

Source: Skhemy project (Radio Liberty) [an investigative reporting project] with reference to Planet Labs satellite images for 13 June

Details: In total, there are at least 27 helicopters of the Russian army at the occupied Berdiansk airfield as of 13 June. Twenty of them appeared at the airport recently, this is confirmed by satellite images for 31 May.

With the help of two aircraft experts, Skhemy managed to identify the helicopter models. Namely:

• 5 Ka-52 helicopters;
• 9 Mi-8 or Mi-24 helicopters;
• 13 Ka-29 helicopters.

"Most helicopters are for the support of Russian ground forces and strengthening the defence against the counteroffensive of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The Mi-8 can be used for evacuation, but they are likely also used for operational transfer of troops or equipment closer to the battlefield," said Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, aircraft expert.

"Judging by satellite images, the Berdiansk airfield is currently used as an operational airfield for the deployment of the Russian army aircraft units based in occupied Crimea. This is extremely necessary for them, since in the conditions of remote basing, effective support of the ground forces – ‘work on request’ – is impossible", said Mykhailo Zhyrokhov, military expert.

According to Zhyrokhov, Russian helicopters, which are based at the airfield in Berdiansk, can also be used for emergency evacuation of the wounded and transfer of troops and equipment.

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