After the historic operation "Spider's Web": Russian Federation replaces destroyed aircraft with whole planes to make satellites look 'good'
Russia is trying to hide the losses of strategic aviation after a large-scale SBU attack by replacing destroyed bombers on satellite images and downplaying the losses.
Here's What We Know
The SBU's Pavetina operation resulted in the destruction of at least 41 Russian aircraft, including Tu-160, Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3 strategic bombers, A-50 reconnaissance aircraft and military transport planes. Immediately afterwards, the Russians began to make deliberate attempts to conceal the real scale of their losses.
In particular, at the Belaya airbase in Irkutsk Oblast, a damaged 
was observed being replaced with a whole copy. According to satellite images taken on 2 or 3 June, the damaged aircraft with obvious wing and fuselage damage was standing next to the wreckage and traces of fire. But on 4 June, another, undamaged machine appeared in the same place. The replacement is not too complicated: you follow the markings for the chassis and wings, drive off the destroyed side and install a new one.
At the same time, another 
, which was completely burnt out, remained in place - probably, there was simply not enough time for camouflage.
Such manipulations have become commonplace: images from optical and radar satellites (SAR) record only the visual effects of strikes, while even minor damage can put an aircraft out of action forever. That's why OSINT analysis from satellite imagery does not always reflect the real extent of the damage. An example is helicopters at Russian heliports that look undamaged on the images, although they are guaranteed to be destroyed.
In addition to physical camouflage, the Russian Federation has intensified information injections: at first, it tried to promote the thesis that some of the affected aircraft were "not in motion", they said, just "standing". However, the footage of the explosions after the strikes shows that the planes were fuelled, meaning they were in combat readiness.
Moreover, the strikes were targeted: they did not destroy everything, but specific aircraft. This indicates careful preparation, accurate reconnaissance, and probably planted marks. So there is no question of accidents here.
Against the backdrop of the failure to preserve strategic aviation, Kremlin propagandists are resorting to a final argument: "why do we need those planes at all?" Although until recently, the Russian media praised the "unique" bombers that launched Kh-555, Kh-101 and Kh-22 missiles at peaceful Ukrainian cities.
Source: Defence Express
