Civil Airport in Kerch is converted to the military, it will be able to run UAV – “Schemes”

Kerch Airport, located in the east of the Crimea occupied by Russia, in March 2025 changed its appointment from civilian to military. This is evidenced by data from the Russian State Register of real estate and satellite images, which received and analyzed “Schemes” (Radio Liberty) – they show large -scale work in the airport. It will probably be launched by Kamikadze drones on the mainland of Ukraine.

Photo from the Planet Labs satellite indicate that Kerch Airport Refill has been ongoing.

Journalists compared the photos that received Delfi from the Estonian edition, in February and June 2025 and noticed that fortifications and “masking” structures appeared around the runway.

“It is probably a technical base designed for the UAV storage, storage and launch. Masking structures approximately 12 by 9 meters are suitable for shelter of equipment, UAVs, as well as for anti-aircraft missile systems, such as “armor-C1” or “Thor-M2″, which perfectly fit into these dimensions and can create a system of airworks, ”

He drew attention separately to the sites on which, he said, can further place air defense systems.

“In the satellite picture, a site with a characteristic embankment is noticeable – this is a probable place for posting air defense,” Khrapchinsky said.

The runway itself has not changed. According to the air expert, in length it already meets the criteria necessary for launching drones.

According to Khrapchynsky, the Russian authorities are rebuilding the Kerch airport to turn it into another place to launch Shahd drones by mainland Ukraine.

“They need more starting places. The logic is to distribute and prepare several groups that program these UAVs. Only for increasing (fire – ed.) Opportunities, ”Khrapchynsky said in a comment to Schemes. Since the beginning of June, Ukraine’s Air Force has been fixing an increase in the number of drones that Russia launches, up to 500 units per attack.

In addition to satellite images of changing the appointment of Kerch Airport from civilian to military, data from the Russian State Real Estate Register is evidenced and obtained by “schemes”. According to them, on March 4, 2025, the occupying power transferred some of the land plots on which the airport is located, for the indefinite use of the Russian Defense Ministry, namely the subsidiary of the Crimean Territorial Administration of Property Relations.

Kerch’s last airport has been carrying out regular passenger air transportation in 2007, according to local forums. Since then, the city authorities have tried to sell the airfield to no avail.

After the occupation of the Ukrainian Peninsula in 2014, the airport began to be used as a cargo transportation, which expected a ferry. However, since March 19, 2025, according to local media reports, the platform from the territory of the airport was moved to another place, arguing it “reorganization of the enterprise.”