After the recent events in Crimea, the Russian invaders urgently moved their planes and helicopters deep into the occupied peninsula and to Russian airfields.

The Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported about this.

According to the intelligence data, the invaders are taking measures to partially redeploy the aviation equipment. They moved it from forward-based airfields in Crimea to alternative airfields. They also redeploy it to the airfields that are permanently based on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The Defence Intelligence stressed that such activity has been noted after a series of explosions at military infrastructure facilities in the temporarily occupied Crimea, including at the Saki (9th August) and Hvardiiske (16th August) airfields.

It was reported that at least 24 aircraft and 14 helicopters changed their locations.

On August 11, the following were transferred to Hvardiiske airfield:

• 5 Su-27/30 aircrafts from the 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Belbek);
• 5 Su-34 aircraft from the 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment (Morozovsk);

On August 17, the flights of helicopters were observed:

• 3 KA-27 helicopters from the 318th separate combined aviation regiment (Kacha) of the Black Sea Fleet;
• 3 KA-27 helicopters from the 318th separate combined aviation regiment of the Black Sea Fleet – to Sevastopol;
• 8 helicopters – to Krasnodar.

On August 17, aircraft from the Belbek airfield were spotted flying to airfields in Russian territory:

• three Su-35S aircraft from the 23rd fighter aviation regiment (Dzemhi) of the 303rd combined aviation division of the 11th Army of Air Forces and Air Defence Forces of the Eastern Military District to Primorsko-Akhtarsk;
• three Su-34 aircraft from the 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment (Morozovsk) of the 1st combined aviation division of the 4th Army of Air Forces and Air Defence Forces to Primorsko-Akhtarsk;
• five Su-27/30SM aircraft from the 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Belbek) of the 27th combined aviation division of the 4th Army of Air Forces and Air Defence Forces to Krymsk;
• an aircraft, probably MiG-31, to Helendzhyk;
• two aircraft, probably MiG-31, to Kushchevsk.

According to intelligence data, during the flight, one of the MiG-31s had a fire on board. The probable cause was said to be a fire in the main propulsion unit and navigation equipment.