Machulishchy is an air base of the Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus located in Machulishchy, Minsk Region, Belarus.
Minsk-Machulishchy | |||||||
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| Machulishchy, Minsk Region in Belarus | |||||||
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  Machulishchy Shown within Belarus | |||||||
| Coordinates | 53°46′25″N 027°34′38″E / 53.77361°N 27.57722°E | ||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Owner | Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus | ||||||
| Operator | Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| In use | Unknown - present | ||||||
| Battles/wars | 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: UMLI | ||||||
| Elevation | 204 metres (669 ft) AMSL | ||||||
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It is home to the 50th Composite Air Base, flying Antonov An-26s, Ilyushin Il-76MD's, Mil Mi-8s and Mil Mi-24s.[1]
It has served as a strategic bomber base for the Soviet Union. It also served as a Soviet Air Defence Forces interceptor base.[2]
The primary operator was the 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment. Machulishchy was one of nine major operating locations for the Tupolev Tu-22 Blinder in the mid-1960s.[3] In August 1960, six Tu-22 aircraft from Machulishchy deployed to Olenya air base in the arctic region under naval control, indicating the regiment had a dual Navy-Air Force mission serving an anti-surface warfare role.[4] This capability covered the Baltic Sea with deployment capability into the Barents Sea region.
Later in the 1970s, an interceptor regiment at Machulishchy operated Sukhoi Su-9 Fishpot interceptors, upgraded in 1979 to MiG-23P aircraft.[2][5] At the time, the airfield was still host to the Tu-22 Blinder ASM regiment.
On 26 February 2023, two explosions were reported at the base. Russian aircraft and equipment were damaged.[6][7] Russian A-50 aircraft may have been targeted.[8] The explosions were a result of sabotage from Belarusian partisans.[9]
References edit
- ^ "Minsk-Machulishchy (UMLI) Мінск-Мачулішчы". Scramble.nl. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
- ^ a b FLOGGER G AT PVO AIRFIELDS, USSR, CIA-RDP80T01355A000100800001-9, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, August 1, 1980.
- ^ PROBABLE ASM ASSOCIATED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY, SELECTED SOVIET AIRFIELDS, CIA-RDP78T05161A001000010061-1, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, October 1, 1966.
- ^ (UNTITLED), CIA-RDP89B00569R000600020011-5, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, July 6, 1962.
- ^ PHASEOUT OF FISHPOT IN APVO STRANYY AIRFIELDS USSR, February 1981, CREST: CIA-RDP81T00380R000100980001-5, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC.
- ^ King, Chris. "BREAKING: Unconfirmed reports of attack on Belarus air base and soldier killed in border clashes with Ukrainian troops". euroweeklynews.com. EuroWeekly News. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- ^ "Explosions occur at Machulishchy airbase in Belarus, Russian aircraft damaged". yahoo.com. Yahoo! Life. 26 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- ^ "Explosions near Machulishchy air base in Belarus: Russia's A-50 aircraft might be hit". ukrinform.net. Ukrinform. 26 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- ^ "Belarusian partisans sabotaged in Machulishchy". news.yahoo.com. Yahoo! News. 26 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
