Finland warns: Russia is expanding the factory of strategic bombers

The Finnish state broadcaster YLE posted satellite photos on his portal, documenting the expansion of one of the largest plane factories in Russia – in Kazan, where all Russian strategic bombers are produced.

According to satellite photos obtained by YLE, the largest of the new halls is about 320 meters long and covers an area of ​​about 19 thousand. sq m, which is comparable to three football fields. About EUR 1 billion was allocated to the modernization of the plants – the website has determined.

Factory in Kazan is particularly important for the production and modernization of strategic bombers, including those able to carry nuclear weapons. It was these aircraft that was damaged or even destroyed in a Ukrainian drone attack under the code name “Spider” at the airports in Russia in June. In the Ukrainian opinion, 41 aircraft of Russian long -range Russian aviation were to be damaged as a result of damaged operations.

The Kazan Factory of Aircraft is the only one in Russia that can compensate for the loss of strategic bombers damaged and damaged by Ukraine – says Yle. It produces and modernizes Tu-160M ​​aircraft, produces new Tu-160m2, and also modernizes the old Tu-22M3.

“Satellite photos show that many new production places have appeared. However, this will not solve the problems of the Russian aviation industry, devoid of access to new technologies and spare parts,” said military expert Marko Eklund, a former Finnish military intelligence officer, who for 20 years dealt with Russia's military aviation and who analyzed photos obtained by YLE. In his opinion, Russia is currently unable to build competitive aircraft models – both military and civil.

The YLE journalistic investigation shows that in recent years Russia has acquired western parts for aircraft for at least 1 billion euros bypassing sanctions in circular roads.

“Russia would like to be seen as equal to the United States, but the production of older models of bombers, visible in satellite photos, says a lot about its current possibilities,” Ekludd noted. (PAP)

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