Belarus modernizes its military airfields and rocket infrastructure – media

In recent years, the authorities have modernized a number of its military airfields in recent years, in particular, those from which Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, as well as building rocket infrastructure in the country’s territory.

Source: Scheme Project (Radio Liberty), which, together with the journalists of the Belarusian Radio Svoboda Service and Estonian editions of Delfi Estonia and Eesti Ekspress, analyzed the pictures taken by Planet Labs satellite over Belarus

Details: As part of this cooperation, journalists created a map of military objects of Belarus, which included both completely new and modernized old military bases and landfills, which, in particular, will be used during the West-2025 exercises jointly with Russia, which will be held from September 12 to September 16.

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Journalists among other things noticed Changes at the Aerodrom “Lunynets”, which is more than 50 km from the border with Ukraine. In 2022, this airport became a place for the base of more than two dozen Russian Su-25 fighters, Su-34 bombers and helicopters that attacked Ukraine in the first days of the Great War.

As can be seen from satellite images, at the airfield in 2022-2024 they restored barracks, upgraded old hangars and erected new ones, built fuel and fortifications, installed numerous air defense systems and missile systems.

It is noted that in 2023 the aerodrome became a permanent location of the new Belarusian air defense unit-the 56th anti-aircraft missile regiment.

Other airports were modernized. Although not as large as a “hole”. In particular, on Aerodromas “Lida” (Grodnensk region), “Baranovichi” (Brest region), “Zayabrovka” (Gomel region) and “Magulyshchi” (Minsk region) Hungarians were built for fighters, repaired runways, modernized radar systems, and also deployed additional fortifications, especially in the storage areas of fuel and lubricants.

Radio Liberty reminds that in 2022, these airfields were also actively used by the Russian army. In particular, the Slabrovka airport has become one of the main bases in Belarus for Russian shock helicopters that attacked Ukraine at the beginning of a full -scale invasion.

In addition, journalists based on satellite photo analysis noticed that Belarus develops its rocket infrastructure.

It is about two military units near the city of Osipovichi, in the central part of Belarus, one of which is 465 rocket brigade.

As can be seen from satellite images, since the beginning of 2023, large-scale construction work began, which is still ongoing.

According to the Belarusian Radio Svoboda service, several Iskander-M missile systems have been placed on the territory of this part for 2 years. And, probably, three new hangars were built for them, which is visible from the satellite.

Also in the territory were erected warehouses for the storage of military equipment and ammunition, reconstructed barracks and administrative buildings and built a sports complex.

At the end of the summer of 2024, the satellite recorded that a separate railway track was laid from the base of the 465th missile brigade to the neighboring 1405th artillery base of ammunition, which was called one of the possible storage of Russian nuclear weapons.

The publication reminds that on March 25, 2023, the ruler of the Russian Federation Volodymyr Putin declared the placement of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus and almost simultaneously with this statement on the territory of 1405th base in Osipovichi began construction work.

Now there have been reconstructed several old buildings, including the headquarters, and built three new ones, two of which are probably barracks. The publication emphasizes that the personnel of the unit can increase up to 240 people.

Also, a technical zone was built on the territory of the military unit and two earthen ramparts were poured for air defense systems.

In addition, journalists reported that in Belarus began to build new military bases – one of such objects near Minsk can be of strategic importance for Russia in the war against Ukraine, because, according to experts, it is where Russian ballistic missiles “Oreshnik” can be placed there.