The publication obtained satellite images of the Belbek airbase, near Sevastopol in occupied Crimea. They show new durable aircraft protection and additional structures. They are likely to protect aircraft from drone attacks and other indirect fire.
According to The War Zone, such actions by the Russians indicate their desire to improve physical protection at airfields.
The picture from December 19 shows that the airfield has about 10 shelters in reinforced concrete in various stages of construction. They are located above the aircraft parking lots in the central part of the facility. Another structure, the purpose of which is unclear, is being built in a separate part of the base.
Additional bars were installed on less protected shelters. Similar structures have been seen at other Russian airbases in the past.
What they say in the Ukrainian Navy
At the same time, the representative of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Dmitry Pletenchuk, noted that runway embankments that the Russians have at the Belbek airfield do not take long to build. And in fact, the main thing is that the Russians are forced to respond to attacks on their military facilities in the occupied Crimea.
“I cannot confirm or deny this information, but in any case it is logical that they will try to protect their equipment. And if they need to build some kind of protective structures, practice shows that the Russians do not save resources. ” – said Pletenchuk in the broadcast on the national telethon.
In his opinion, another conclusion can be drawn from the fact that the Russians will hide. The point is that quite often in Ukraine they “hear” about some kind of explosions in Crimea, which we do not see. Most likely, the Russians “look” at them a little closer, so they draw appropriate conclusions.
The situation in Crimea
Let’s remember that Crimea was occupied by the Russians in 2014. Since then, the invaders have turned the peninsula into a huge military base, surrounding it with air defenses.
Defense forces constantly attack military targets in Crimea. Especially at the end of November, there were explosions in Crimea. The occupiers then announced the work of air defense and the attack of drones, and the local population – about the “arrival” at Belbek airfield.
