Painted fighter jets discovered at military airfield in Crimea

Painted fighter jets were found at the Belbek airfield in Sevastopol, annexed by russia.

This was reported by analyst MT Anderson, referring to satellite images taken by Planet Labs.

The images show several painted fighters, including four SU-24/30/34 and four MiG-31s, which, in some modifications, may be equipped with Kinzhal missiles. The two aircraft models could not be identified, but MT Anderson suggests that they are SU-27s. The painted planes could be identified by the absence of shadows. The russian Air Force uses hangars to protect real aircraft.

Earlier in October, similar cases were observed at the Engels airfield in the Saratov Oblast, where Tu-95 strategic bombers were depicted. Experts believe that the russian military may be trying to mislead surveillance systems but note that modern technologies distinguish two-dimensional images from three-dimensional ones. The War Zone Project suggests that the painted fighters may be mock-ups but notes that judging by the lack of shadows, they must have been painted in a parking lot. At the same time, they did not have time to finish one drawing.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, the Engels airfield was attacked several times at the end of 2022. In the second half of October, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) also attacked Berdiansk and Luhansk airfields using ATACMS missiles. Nine russian helicopters were destroyed, and 15 more were damaged.

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