Just 130 Kilometres From Front: Another Russian A-50 Plane 'Caught'

Satellite photos have appeared.

The Planet service has "caught" another Russian A-50. The enemy aircraft of long-range radar detection and control is only 130 kilometres from the front line.

This was reported by "Schemes" and published satellite images obtained thanks to the Planet service. As you can see from the location, the Russian plane is stationed in Taganrog in Rostov region of the Russian Federation.

Planet Labs satellite photos for February 29 show that the "fat" target is stationed at the Taganrog-Yuzhny airfield. It is located almost 130 kilometres from the battle line in Donetsk region.

The A-50 is an airborne command centre that Russia has used for long-range radar detection in its war against Ukraine.

According to investigative journalist Kirill Ovsiany, this plane, or a plane of this type, was also seen in photos taken at the Taganrog airport in September 2023 and on February 15 this year.

At that, it was not seen at the airfield on February 28. This may indicate that on that day the occupants actively used the aircraft for its intended purpose.

We remind you, in the evening of February 23, a Russian A-50U long-range radar detection and control plane was shot down over the Sea of Azov. The downed aircraft fell in Krasnodar region of the Russian Federation. It was a joint operation of the Main Intelligence Directorate and the Air Force.

Before the full-scale invasion, Russia had only nine such planes: three A-50s and six A-50Us.

The A-50 and A-50U planes are used by the occupiers to identify and escort air and surface targets, to notify the command posts of the automated control systems of the branches of the armed forces about the air and surface situation, to control fighter and strike planes in directing them to air, land and sea targets, and to serve as an air command post.

The A-50 planes are very valuable to the Russians. They play the role of spotters during massive shelling of Ukraine and cost at least $330 million.

These aircraft were thought to be impossible to shoot down. However, the Defence Forces shattered this stereotype for the first time on January 14 when they struck two Russian occupation aircraft over the Sea of Azov. The A-50 long-range radar detection and control aircraft was then shot down and the Il-22 was damaged.