Melitopol (ICAO: UKDM) is an air base belonging to the Ukrainian Air Force located near Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. It has been occupied by Russia since March 2022.

Melitopol
Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast in Ukraine
Melitopol is located in Zaporizhzhia Oblast
Melitopol
Melitopol
Shown within Zaporizhzhia Oblast
Melitopol is located in Ukraine
Melitopol
Melitopol
Melitopol (Ukraine)
Coordinates46°52′36″N 035°18′27″E / 46.87667°N 35.30750°E / 46.87667; 35.30750
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defense (Ukraine) (de jure) Ministry of Defense (Russia) (de facto)
OperatorUkrainian Air Force (de jure) Russian Aerospace Forces (de facto)
Controlled byAir Force Command
ConditionDamaged
Site history
In useUnknown - present
FateCaptured by Russian forces
Battles/wars2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: UKDM
Elevation266 metres (873 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
04/22 2,470 metres (8,104 ft) Concrete
Map

The base was home to the 25th Transport Aviation Brigade flying Ilyushin Il-76M/MD, Ilyushin Il-78 and Antonov An-26 aircraft.[1]

Melitopol Air Base was bombarded early in the morning on 24 February 2022, as part of the initial Russian strikes on Ukrainian military bases in the early hours of the invasion. Cruise missiles hit the control tower, a fueling station, and an Il-76 preparing for takeoff, killing an aviation technician.[2]

The base was captured by Russian forces on 1 March 2022 during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[citation needed] On 3 July it was hit by Ukrainian rocket strikes.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Ukraine Air Force". Scramble.nl. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  2. ^ Joshua Yaffa (2022-05-16). "A Ukrainian City Under a Violent New Regime". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  3. ^ "Ukraine hits Russian military base in occupied Melitopol, exiled mayor says". Reuters. Retrieved 3 July 2022.