Damage to A-50 aircraft to constrain Russia’s air operations – British intelligence

February 28, BPN. The loss of the A-50 early warning and control aircraft at the Mačuliščy military airfield near Minsk would be significant for Russia if confirmed, the British defense ministry said.

The aircraft is “critical to Russian air operations,” it added.

This loss “will likely leave six operational A-50s in service, further constraining Russian air operations” it tweeted.

On February 26, Belarusian opposition media reported that several explosions at the Mačuliščy military airfield damaged an expensive Russian early warning and control aircraft A-50.

Later that day, Alaksandr Azaraŭ from the BYPOL association of former security forces said that the members of the opposition’s Pieramoha plan carried out the attack using drones.

The Belarusian authorities did not comment on
reports of the incident. However, ahead of his February 28 visit to China,
Alaksandr Łukašenka had an urgent meeting with security chiefs and demanded
“extreme discipline.”