The Russian Federation secretly deployed a MiG-31 in Crimea: should Ukrainians prepare for alarm?
Date: 2023-10-20 Author: Кирило Загоруйко Categories: WAR, CRIMEA
The Russian invaders suddenly deployed at least four MiG-31 aircraft at the Belbek airfield (Crimea). As the satellite recorded, they are standing in open parking lots, covered with barriers to reduce the possible scattering of debris in the event of an “arrival.”
As Defense Express reports, the sudden appearance of the MiG-31 in Belbek fully correlates with the Russian Federation’s intention to begin patrolling aircraft carrying Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles over the Black Sea. But on the other hand, these satellite images do not provide a clear understanding of exactly what modification the occupiers placed in Crimea.
“Since here we may also be talking about the MiG-31K, the actual carrier of the Kinzhal missiles. And thus, Belbek may be a new platform, or for performing demonstration flights, which may be accompanied by an alarm throughout the entire territory of Ukraine,” the publication writes. .
However, a modification of the MiG-31BM could be relocated to Crimea - an interceptor that can use air-to-air missiles of the R-37M type with a launch range of approximately 200 kilometers. These aircraft may have a slightly different task - to prevent missile attacks by the Ukrainian Defense Forces on military targets in the temporarily occupied Crimea, using subsonic cruise missiles of the Neptune, Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG types.
