Ukrainian strike on Belbek airbase in Crimea destroys three Russian fighter jets - Maxar
A fuel depot located next to the runway was also destroyed
A Ukrainian strike on the Moscow-controlled Belbek airbase in occupied Crimea this week destroyed three Russian warplanes and a fuel depot near the main runway, US commercial satellite company Maxar said, cited by Reuters.
The company cited satellite images taken on Thursday showing that two MiG-31 fighter jets and a Su-27 fighter jet were destroyed. It is noted that one MiG-29 fighter jet was also damaged.
Similar conclusions were published by The New York Times investigator Christian Tribert on Friday, 17 May, on Twitter (X), having analysed satellite images.
"A fuel depot located next to the main runway was also destroyed. The wreckage continued to burn after the attack," the post reads.
Ukraine has not publicly claimed responsibility for the strike on the airbase.
Russia's Defence Ministry said on Thursday that Ukraine had staged a nighttime attack on Crimea and that its air defence forces had intercepted five long-range ATACMS missiles.
On Wednesday, the ministry said that Russia had intercepted 10 long-range ATACMS missiles, also launched at Crimea. The Russians did not report any damage to military facilities during either attack.
Meanwhile, the Russian-language Telegram channel Ovedomitel wrote on the morning of 17 May: "As a result of the attack on the Belbek airbase (16 May – ed.), two MiG-31s and one Su-27 were completely destroyed, and a MiG-29 was also damaged."
"Needless to say, even the simplest canopies would have significantly reduced the damage if they hadn't saved the aircraft, as the Ukrainian Armed Forces used ATACMS cluster munitions, most of which would have exploded on the roof of the canopies. But there were no sheds and there are no sheds, we have our own way," the authors add.
Background. The day before, it was reported that two MiG-31 aircraft and a fuel depot were destroyed at the Belbek airfield in the occupied Crimea.
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