Ukraine attacked Belbek airfield in occupied Crimea on January 31. As a result of the attack, at least three Russian planes were damaged there, and satellite images show that the command post of the occupiers was previously damaged there.
This was reported by the DeepState project, which monitors combat operations and changes in the positions of Russian troops.
"The losses in personnel will be known over time and with the first obituaries in the enemyʼs social networks," project analysts noted.
The Russian public writes about the death of ten Russians due to an attack on the airfield, among them was Lieutenant General Oleksandr Tatarenko. He commanded an aviation squadron. It is reported that two missiles hit the command post of the 38th fighter aviation regiment, and another hit the airfieldʼs communication point. It is not yet possible to confirm this information.
- On January 31, the Russian Ministry of Defense informed about a missile attack on the Belbek airfield near Sevastopol. Air defense allegedly shot down 17 air missiles over the Black Sea and three more over the Crimean peninsula. Local media reported that the airfield had been hit. Later, corresponding videos appeared. Commander of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Mykola Oleschuk confirmed the attack in the evening of the same day.
- Oleschuk wrote that "Ukrainian aviators will definitely return home to their native airfield," and thanked everyone "who participated in the cleansing of Crimea" from the occupiers. One of the Ukrainian brigades used to be based at Belbek airfield.