Russia is constructing aircraft shelters at the Belbek airfield in Crimea. Here's what the Ukrainian Navy has to say about it.

Russians have begun the construction of reinforced shelters and other structures to protect aircraft at the "Belbek" airfield in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing the publication The War Zone.

The publication obtained satellite images of the "Belbek" airbase, located near Sevastopol in occupied Crimea. The images reveal new sturdy shelters for aircraft and additional facilities. These are likely intended to protect the planes from drone attacks and other indirect fire.

As noted by The War Zone, such actions by the Russians indicate their desire to enhance physical security at airfields.

A satellite image from December 19 shows that approximately 10 concrete shelters are under construction at the airfield, at various stages of completion. They are positioned over the parking areas for aircraft in the central part of the site. Another structure, whose purpose remains unclear, is being built in a separate section of the base.

Additional grates have been installed on the less protected shelters. Similar structures have been observed at other Russian airbases in the past.

What the Ukrainian Navy Says

Meanwhile, a representative of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Navy, Dmitry Pletenchuk, noted that such embankments, like those constructed by the Russians at the "Belbek" airfield, do not take long to build. In fact, the key point is that the Russians are forced to respond to attacks on their military facilities in occupied Crimea.

"I cannot confirm or deny this information. But, in any case, it makes sense that they will try to protect their equipment. If they need to construct any protective structures, practice shows that the Russians do not spare resources," Pletenchuk stated during a national telethon.

In his opinion, the fact that the Russians are building shelters suggests another conclusion. It is about the frequent reports of explosions in Crimea, which we do not see. Most likely, the Russians are "observing" them a bit closer, hence they are drawing corresponding conclusions.

The Situation in Crimea

Recall that Crimea was occupied by the Russians in 2014. Since then, the occupiers have transformed the peninsula into a massive military base, surrounding it with air defense systems.

The defense forces are consistently striking military targets in Crimea. In particular, at the end of November, explosions were heard in Crimea. The occupiers then reported on air defense operations and drone attacks, while locals reported a "strike" on the "Belbek" airfield.