The Belarusian Hajun group reported that a second Russian Mig-31K capable of carrying Kinzhal rockets landed at Machulishchy Airport in Belarus on October 10.
The first Russian MiG-31K aircraft to land at the Machulishchy Airfield in Belarus was on Oct. 9. This is the first landing since April 2023 when three Russian MiG-31Ks fled the country. They have not been seen there since.
The group reported that both planes were seen moving south at 3 p.m. local. At the time of publication, it is unclear if they are repositioning again or performing a maneuver.
Belarus, an ally to Russia, hasn’t directly participated in the conflict, but it has allowed the Kremlin use its territory as a staging area for its operations against Ukraine.
After the start of the full-scale conflict against Ukraine in 2022 in Russia, several MiG-31K planes were stationed in Belarus. These aircraft launched missiles towards Kyiv and many other Ukrainian cities.
Russia regularly lifts MiG-31K planes from airfields located on its territory in order to attack Ukraine.
The advanced air-launched Kinzhal is difficult to shoot down and intercept. They have a range of about 2,000 kilometers (1200 miles), meaning that the entire Ukraine is at risk, if the missiles are launched from Russian airspace.
In January, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that 25 out of 63 Kinzhal rockets had been intercepted since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
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