Russia builds bunkers and hangars at air bases after Ukrainian successful deep-strike operation – ISW

Satellite images have shown that Russia is beginning to build protective structures at its air bases following the success of Ukrainian Operation Spider’s Web, which destroyed some of Russia's strategic aircraft. 

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Quote: "Recent satellite imagery suggests that Russia is constructing protective structures at some of its air bases following Ukraine's Operation Spider’s Web on 1 June."

Details: Frontelligence Insight reported that satellite imagery collected on 7 July shows that Russian forces have constructed approximately 10 reinforced soil-covered bunkers, 12 concrete bunker-like structures without soil cover, and eight hangar-like buildings at the Khalino airbase in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

Planet Labs satellite imagery collected on 27 June at the Khalino airbase also shows reinforced hangars.

Imagery collected on 9 July shows that Russian forces have constructed two concrete structures resembling bunkers at the Saky airbase in temporarily occupied Crimea. Satellite images from Planet Labs collected on 7 July also show concrete shelters for aircraft. Meanwhile, Frontelligence reported that satellite images from 9 July show no construction work at the Dzhankoi airbase in temporarily occupied Crimea.

In addition, recent satellite images show the wreckage of bombers still at the Belaya airbase in Russia’s Irkutsk Oblast and the Olenya airbase in Russia’s Murmansk Oblast – two airbases that Ukrainian troops struck during Operation Spider’s Web.

Background:

• On 1 June, the Security Service of Ukraine carried out Operation Spider’s Web to destroy Russian strategic aircraft. The operation targeted five airfields on the territory of the Russian Federation: Olenya in Murmansk Oblast, Belaya in Irkutsk Oblast, Dyagilevo in Ryazan Oblast, Ivanovo in Ivanovo Oblast, and Ukrainka in Amur Oblast.
• The strike on the Belaya airbase, located about 4,400 km from the border with Ukraine, was the first Ukrainian attack on targets in Siberia during the Russo-Ukrainian war. The main assets of destruction were FPV drones, some of which were remotely launched from lorries that drove up to the airfields.
• Vasyl Maliuk, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, said that in total, "34% of strategic cruise missile carriers at the main airfields of the Russian Federation were destroyed".
• The Security Service of Ukraine officially says that 41 Russian strategic aircraft were hit by FPV drone strikes, including A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22 M3 and Tu-160 aircraft. The estimated cost of the destroyed Russian strategic aircraft exceeds US$7 billion.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!