How many active A-50 aircraft are left in Russia? At least two were airborne from the Ivanovo-Severny airfield during the last two weeks, as evidenced by a comparison of @planet images taken on Feb. 29 (where they can be seen) and Feb. 14 (where they're absent). *****92AEDzshKp pic.twitter.com/ranDSzlBVO
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) March 1, 2024
Along with the image of the A-50 in Taganrog, captured on Feb. 29 but not observed there the day before, this brings the total number of 3 confirmed A-50 aircraft in the air during the last two weeks (excluding the one downed on Feb. 23). *****3zU6zUG8eM
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) March 1, 2024
Add three more from Ivanovo, which seem not to be airborne for weeks, as historical imagery shows: 2 with the engines and in a plowed area , 1 with the engines in an unplowed area (not 100% clear if operational or not). *****92AEDzshKp
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) March 1, 2024
This gives us a grand total of max 6 aircraft. According to @IISS_org, Russia had 9 operational A-50s before the full-scale war with Ukraine. Two were downed, so one more A-50 may be operating somewhere in the Urals/Far East (historical photo from Taganrog taken in 2013). pic.twitter.com/wrakXOApCG
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) March 1, 2024
