Russian airbase attack cripples fleet of MiG‑31K fighters
August may turn out to be the darkest month for Russian aviation since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The losses related to MiG-31K fighters are starting to look particularly painful for the invaders. Destroying these machines is especially important for Ukraine, as the take-off of each one triggers an alarm throughout the country.
According to Ukrainian media citing their sources in local military intelligence (HUR), on 16 August, a successful attack was carried out on the Savashleyka airbase in the Nizhny Novgorod region. As a result, two Il-76 transport planes and a MiG-31K fighter were destroyed. Five other machines stationed there were damaged, most likely also MiG-31K fighters.
Significant Russian losses related to the MiG-31K
The Ukrainian portal Defense Express recalls that two days earlier, there was also an attack on the Savashleyka airbase, which, although not as spectacular, resulted in the destruction of a fuel depot and the damage to one MiG-31K fighter.
The damage to six MiG-31K units and destroying one such machine will mean huge problems for the Russians. Defense Express states that this is as much as 25% of all such machines that the invading army had. Western analysts have long estimated that Russia possesses no more than 24 units of MiG-31Ks.
Carrier of very dangerous weapons
So far, the Russians have recorded much more significant losses regarding their other aircraft, such as the Su-25 or Su-34. However, these are less advanced or valuable because the Russians have much larger stocks. They may have over a hundred Su-34s.
The MiG-31K is a fighter revealed in 2018. It measures about 22 metres in length and over 6 metres in width and can reach speeds of up to 3,000 kilometres per hour. Although it has a 23-millimetre calibre six-barrel automatic cannon (with a reserve of 260 rounds), the most important aspect of its armament is its adaptation to carrying Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.
These are missiles measuring over 7 metres in length, which reach speeds of around Mach 8-10 after launch and can strike targets as far as about 2,000 kilometres away. This means their launch, e.g., from Belarusian airspace, places the entire Ukraine within range. Therefore, the take-off of every MiG-31K is associated with announcing an alarm.
