Satellite images show runway
Russia is building a new airfield on the border with Ukraine
April 29, 2024, 7:44 p.m
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Russia is building a new airfield in the border region of Belgorod. The runway can already be seen on satellite images. Civilian use seems unlikely.
Russia is building a new airfield in the Belgorod region near the Ukrainian border. Satellite images prove this. Accordingly, the base will be built near the village of Alexeyevka, about 70 kilometers from Ukraine. As the pro-Ukrainian blog Militarnyi writes, citing the OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) account redintelpanda, the facility is located about nine kilometers west of the village, where there is a logistics center for Russian military units.
The photo from September 20, 2023 shows the construction site at an early stage.
(Photo: © ESA / Sentinel Hub)
According to the portal, construction work began last year. A road to the future construction site was laid in July 2023. After the winter thaw, Russia resumed work this year. At the end of April, a concrete surface was laid on the runway. The length of the runway is approximately 1,800 meters, which is sufficient to accommodate various types of aircraft, including An-26 military transport aircraft or Su-25 fighter jets as well as helicopters.
It seems likely that Russia is building the airfield for military purposes, and not just because of its proximity to Ukraine. According to Militarnyi, there is a no-go zone for civilian flights in the area around Alexeyevka. In addition, there are no reports about the construction of a new civil airport in the Belgorod region.
Facilities such as hangars or a control tower cannot be seen in the satellite images. Exactly for what purpose the airfield is being built is unclear. According to redintelpanda, it could serve as an alternative location for Russian helicopters from the Rowenki base, which is located directly on the border. At the same time, Alexeyevka is already an important logistics point for the Russian armed forces, with a fuel depot and a vehicle workshop. The airfield could therefore also serve as a hub for supply flights.