NATO Classified Report: Russia Withdraws Aircraft From Crimea After Explosions

At the moment, 10 aircraft have already been deployed to the Russian Federation.

Explosions have forced the Russian military to withdraw fighters and helicopters from airbases in Crimea. They are taking these measures to prevent further attacks from Ukraine.

NATO classified report dated August 22, which was obtained by Business Insider, reads it. At the moment, 10 Russian aircraft have already been withdrawn from Crimea to the Russian Federation: six Su-35S fighters and four MiG-31BM interceptors.

“Russia is likely to disperse its air force in Crimea to prevent further Ukrainian attacks,” the report reads.

Despite these manoeuvres, the Crimean Belbek airfield near Sevastopol remains "Russia's most important airfield for air support in southern Ukraine and over the Black Sea," NATO intelligence officials say. About 32 Russian fighter jets are still stationed there. These are mainly Su-27 fighters, but there are also a small number of modern Su-35S and MiG-31BM based in Belbek.

Russia has also increased the number of its tactical air defence systems in Crimea to counter further attacks by Ukraine, such as UAVs.

“Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles are difficult targets for Russian air defence systems,” the NATO report reads.

Recall: on August 9, explosions thundered at the Russian air base Saki in Novofedorivka of occupied Crimea. The occupying "authorities" of the peninsula have already declared a state of emergency, and the evacuation. Officially, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported that there was a detonation of ammunition at the airfield. Thus more than a half of the aviation of the Black Sea Fleet of the aggressor country was put out of action. A representative of Western intelligence informed about this, on condition of anonymity, noting that Ukraine is now consistently achieving a “kinetic effect” deep behind Russian lines.

Also on August 17, the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine reported that after the recent events in Crimea, the Russian military are urgently moving their planes and helicopters deep into the peninsula and to the airfields of the Russian Federation. At least 24 planes and 14 helicopters abandoned their bases and retreated.