After the Ukrainian army struck Russian airfields with long-range ATACMS missiles on October 17, the occupiers moved their Ka-52 and Mi-8 helicopters from occupied Ukrainian Berdiansk to Russian Taganrog. This is evidenced by satellite images published by Brady Afrik, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).
On October 20, Africa distributed satellite photos showing that the Russians had withdrawn several of their helicopters from the airfield in Berdiansk after the ATACMS attack.
Russian helicopters left Berdyansk airport in southern Ukraine after Ukrainian forces struck the site with ATACMS earlier this month. pic.twitter.com/Aj1y5cYlAm
– Brady Africk (@bradyafr) October 30, 2023
Fresh images, accessed by a military analyst on October 31, show that the invaders have concentrated 21 of their Ka-52 and Mi-8 helicopters at the Taganrog air base. Previously, this airfield was used exclusively for Su-25SM3s, Afrik says.
At the same time, it is known that there is an aircraft repair plant in Taganrog, but its known specialization so far has been in the repair and maintenance of A-50 and A-50U radar patrol aircraft.
It is not known whether the Russians brought the damaged helicopters there by ground transport or whether the surviving helicopters flew there on their own to support Russian troops in other areas.
The Special Operations Forces claimed that nine helicopters, an air defense unit, an arsenal, and “dozens” of Russians were destroyed in the temporarily occupied Berdiansk and Luhansk on the night of October 17. The Russians claimed an ATACMS strike and published photos of the M74 submunitions contained in the missile. The WSJ wrote that Ukraine had indeed launched ATACMS, and President Zelenskyy confirmed this in an evening video address. The airfield in Berdiansk was the main airfield of the occupiers, which they used to launch strikes against the frontline units of the Defense Forces. On October 17, a large fleet of Ka-52 and Mi-8 helicopters, as well as several Mi-28 and Mi-24 units, were stationed there.
