Ukrainian drone strikes prompt Russian aircraft fortifications

Ukrainian attacks on Russian infrastructure have caused Russians to start fearing for their safety, even in locations hundreds of kilometres from the front line. To protect valuable equipment from drones or ballistic missiles, they construct reinforced positions for aircraft 320 kilometres from the border.

The non-governmental organization "Ukrainian Military Center" reports on Russia's work. As revealed by satellite images, in Volgograd Oblast, at the Marynivka airfield located 320 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, 12 new hangars have been erected to house Su-34 and Su-24 aircraft.

According to Ukrainian sources, the hastily constructed hangars are meant to ensure that Russian aircraft can survive in the event of an attack using ATACMS missiles. It is also intended to protect drones, which Ukrainians regularly use to attack Russian airfields.

The Defense Portal, analyzing this situation, notes that the construction of hangars is another stage in Russian attempts to counter the threat posed by Ukrainian drones or, at shorter distances, by missiles.

The problem for the Russian air force in this case is the lack of heavy protective hangars capable of shielding aircraft with greater force from shrapnel and close-range explosions.

For this reason, Russians resort to rather desperate measures, such as painting aircraft shapes near runways. Another type of protection involves covering the aircraft with piles of tires, which is supposed to protect them from small drone attacks and partially safeguard against shrapnel.

Recent Ukrainian attacks aimed at targets deep within Russia show that Russian fears are not unfounded. While ATACMS or Storm Shadow missiles have a range limited to about 320 kilometres, Ukrainians – using drones – can attack targets at much greater distances. The current record is an attack on the over-the-horizon Voronezh-DM radar, located 1,770 kilometres from the front line.