Schemes: Russia in Crimea turns civilian airfield into military base to launch UAVs

Kerch Airport, located in the east of Russian-occupied Crimea, changed its purpose from civilian to military in March 2025. It will likely be used to launch drones over mainland Ukraine, according to data from the Russian state register of real estate and satellite images obtained and analyzed by Schemy.

Satellite photos from Planet Labs indicate that the redevelopment of Kerch Airport is still ongoing.

The journalists compared photos they received from the Estonian publication Delfi from February and June 2025 and noticed that fortifications and "camouflage" structures had appeared around the runway.

"This is probably a technical base intended for the assembly, storage, and launch of UAVs. Camouflage structures measuring approximately 12 by 9 meters are suitable for sheltering equipment, UAV assembly sites, as well as for anti-aircraft missile systems such as Pantsir-S1 or Tor-M2, which fit perfectly into these dimensions and can create an air defense system for the facility," said aviation expert Anatoly Khrapchinsky, to whom journalists showed the pictures.

The aviation expert separately drew attention to the sites where, according to him, air defense systems could be deployed in the future.

"The satellite image shows an area with a characteristic mound – this is a likely place for the placement of air defenses," Khrapchinsky noted.

The runway itself has not undergone any changes. According to an aviation expert, its length already meets the criteria necessary for launching drones.

According to Khrapchinsky, the Russian authorities are rebuilding the Kerch airport to turn it into another location for launching drones over mainland Ukraine.

"They need more launch sites. The logic is to distribute and train several groups that program and launch these UAVs. Exclusively to increase (firepower – ed.) capabilities," said Khrapchinsky.

The publication notes that since the beginning of June, the Ukrainian Air Force has recorded an increase in the number of drones launched by Russia, up to 500 units per attack.

In addition to satellite images, the change in the purpose of Kerch Airport from civilian to military is also evidenced by data obtained by journalists from the Russian state real estate register.

According to them, on March 4, 2025, the occupation authorities transferred some land plots on which the airport is located for indefinite use to the Russian Ministry of Defense, namely to the subsidiary "Crimean Territorial Department of Property Relations."

"The last time Kerch Airport operated regular passenger flights was in 2007, according to mentions on local forums. Since then, the city authorities have tried unsuccessfully to sell the airport," writes "Schemes."

After Russia occupied the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014, the airport area began to be used as a parking lot for freight vehicles waiting for a ferry crossing.

However, from March 19, 2025, according to local media reports, the site was moved from the airport to another location, citing "reorganization of the enterprise's work," the journalists concluded.

• On June 3, the SBU conducted a special operation to blow up the Kerch Bridge, which was illegally built by the Russian occupiers. After the attack, the bridge was in a state of emergency.