Russia is known to place what are supposed to be fighter planes on the ground at air bases to confuse the enemy.

The hope is that Ukraine will not be sure how many planes Russia has in its arsenal and that the attacks will hit the plans, not the planes.

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According to the British Ministry of Defence, British intelligence has identified this phenomenon at at least a dozen Russian air bases, including the Kirovskoe base in the occupied Crimean Peninsula.

From the air you can be fooled. However, the Russians have a problem:

Landing on graphics

– Russian helicopters still regularly land on painted traps, completely undermining the deception, the British Ministry of Defense wrote in an intelligence update on X, formerly known as Twitter.

In a photo published by the ministry, a Russian helicopter can be seen parked at the Kirovskoe base in Crimea. Below the helicopter you can see a painted Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet.

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– This also reveals the true size of the air forces at these air bases, which Russia may be trying to hide from Ukrainian intelligence.

Watch the video: Here they are running for their lives

Several military aircraft have been lost

So far in 2024, the Russian war machine has lost several aircraft due to combat and accidents. Ukraine announced the downing of a Berghev A-50 surveillance plane in January and February.

An Ilyushin Il-22 command plane was also reported shot down over the Sea of ​​Azov at the beginning of the year.

Transport planes and several Sukhoi Su-34 and Su-35 fighter planes also fell.