- Category
- War in Ukraine
Russia Fortifies Lipetsk Air Base With New Shelters After Ukraine Exposed Old Defenses
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Roman Kohanets]( "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
-111f0e5095e02c02446ffed57bfb0ab1.jpeg "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
Russia is constructing two new hardened shelters at its Lipetsk air base, in the same dispersal sector where roughly 100 fighters and attack aircraft were recorded earlier this year, according to Militarnyi on July 27.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
The imagery was captured by the satellite operator Vantor and published by researcher Brady Africk. "Russia is building new hardened aircraft shelters at Lipetsk air base, satellite imagery from @vantortech shows," the outlet addded.
Africk wrote, adding that similar construction has appeared at more than a dozen bases involved in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The two structures appear to be built of reinforced concrete and are being covered with a layer of soil for both camouflage and added protection, Militarnyi reported. No taxiways connect them to the airfield.
Russia is building new hardened aircraft shelters at Lipetsk air base, satellite imagery from @vantortech shows.
— Brady Africk (@bradyafr) July 27, 2026
This kind of construction has been seen in recent years at more than a dozen bases involved in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/fbT7mi0uFK
Given that and their dimensions, Militarnyi assesses that they are most likely intended for storing aviation munitions rather than aircraft. Part of the complex may also hold one-way attack drones of the Garbera or Shahed type, the report adds.
A total of 12 shelters were counted beside the parking area in the imagery.
Lipetsk-2 sits about 280 kilometers (174 miles) from the Ukrainian border and is the home of Russia's 4th State Center for Aviation Personnel Training and Field Testing, the country's principal combat aviation training school. Su-30, Su-34, Su-35 and MiG-31 aircraft operate from the airfield.
-92c27f4fc4f2e6b0cd0988b258a4d8b8.png)
Munitions storage at the base has been destroyed before. Ukrainian long-range drones struck the airfield overnight on August 9, 2024, and Militarnyi reported at the time that the buildings used to store aviation munitions were completely destroyed in the detonation that followed.
Russia began its hardened-hangar campaign in 2024, aiming to shield tactical aviation from Ukrainian long-range drones, with construction eventually documented at 14 airfields.
An analysis published on July 1 concluded that Ukraine's newer strike drones had already cut the protective value of those structures.
Discuss this article:
-9a7b3a98ed5c506e0b77a6663f5727c5.png)
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
