Russian invaders urgently moved planes and helicopters from the occupied Crimea after a series of explosions on the peninsula.
This was reported by the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on the social network Facebook.
"After the recent events in Crimea, the Russians are urgently moving their planes and helicopters deep into the peninsula and to the airfields of the Russian Federation," the intelligence service said.
In particular, the occupiers are taking measures to partially move aviation equipment from forward-based airfields in Crimea to alternate airfields and permanent-based airfields on the territory of the Russian Federation.
"Such activity was noted after a series of explosions at military infrastructure facilities of the temporarily occupied Crimean peninsula, including on the territory of Saki (August 9) and Gvardeiskoye (August 16) airfields," the report says.
As noted in intelligence, a flight of at least 24 aircraft and 14 helicopters has already been recorded.
So, on August 11, 5 Su-27/30 aircraft from the 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Belbek) and 5 SU-34 aircraft from the 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment (Morozovsk) were first transferred to the Gvardeiskoye airfield.
However, already on August 17, a helicopter flight was recorded:
- 3 KA-27 helicopters from the 318th separate mixed aviation regiment (Kacha) of the naval aviation of the Black Sea Fleet in Chersonesos;
- 3 KA-27 helicopters from 318 OSmAP to Sevastopol;
- 8 helicopters to Krasnodar.
Also, on August 17, a flight of aircraft from Belbek airfield to airfields located on the territory of the Russian Federation was noted:
- 3 Su-35S aircraft from the 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (Dzemgi) of the 303rd Combined Aviation Division (SmAD) of the 11th Army of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Eastern Military District to Primorsko-Akhtarsk;
- 3 Su-34 aircraft from the 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment (Morozovsk) 1 Smad of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army to Primorsko-Akhtarsk;
- 5 SU-27/Z0SM aircraft from the 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Belbek) of the 27th SMAD of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army to Krymsk;
- aircraft, probably MiG-31 in Gelendzhik;
- 2 aircraft, probably MiG-31 to Kushchevskaya;
"During the flight, one of the MIG-31 aircraft on board caught fire, probably the main power plant and navigation equipment," the intelligence service said.
On August 10, explosions occurred at the Saki airfield in Crimea. The Ukrainian side denies any involvement in them, although it is satisfied with the result. Due to the incident, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia lost 9 aircraft.
And on August 16, explosions thundered at a military warehouse near Dzhankoy. Ukraine also did not take responsibility for them, although the Western media reported that these were the work of an elite unit of our troops.
