Satellite imagery shows aircraft at Machulishchy air base after likely drone attack

First satellite images have been released showing the Machulishchy airfield in Belarus after a likely drone attack.

That's according to the Twitter account of the Bellingcat investigation team.

"On February 26th a Belarusian partisan group, BYPOL, and opposition leaders claimed a Russian A-50 airborne early warning & control aircraft had been damaged in a UAV attack. Bellingcat has now obtained satellite imagery from after the alleged attack of the Machulishchy Airbase," Bellingcat wrote.

According to investigative journalists, the imagery was captured on Feb 28. It shows an aircraft with the same configuration as an A-50 with a dark mottled pattern on the wings.

They compared satellite images before and after the apparent attack.

They came to the conclusion that the color of the wings is different, but noted that, in particular, this could also be the result of snowfall, so they cannot confirm claims by Belarusian partisans about damage to the A-50.

The Belarusian Hajun project, in turn, reported that the plane was "sanded" before repainting.

"The plane seems to have been 'sanded' before repainting. At this moment, we do not make any definite statements, however, this may also be a consequence of the fact that the fuselage burned out," the report reads.

It emerged on February 26 that explosions rang out at the Machulishchy military airfield in Belarus in the morning, and it was also reported that an A-50 Airborne Early Warning system and control aircraft had been damaged. Alexander Azarov, a representative of the BYPOL initiative, said that Belarusian partisans were behind the alleged attack. According to him, the participants of the alleged act of sabotage at Machulishchy have left Belarus and are now in safety.