Air Force explains reason for flight of Russian MiG-31 in Belarus, which sparked nationwide air alert in Ukraine
Due to the takeoff of Russian MiG-31s in Belarus, an air alert was declared in Ukraine yesterday (Photo:Nikita Zhuravlev/flickr.com)
After a nationwide air raid alert jangled nerves among Ukrainians awaiting another big missile attack by Russia, a Ukrainian Air Force spokesman said the launch of MiG-31 warplanes that sparked the alert was “of no particular strategic importance.”
Yuriy Ihnat, speaking on Ukrainian national television on Dec. 2, said that the launching in Belarus of the MiG-31s, which can carry nuclear-capable cruise missiles, might instead be viewed as a signal from Russia to the West.
“The presence of (Russian) MiG-31s in that region may also represent a certain kind of pressure, a demonstration,” Ihnat said.
Ihnat also said that in recent days Russia had ramped up the activity of its military aviation.
In the afternoon of Dec. 1, an air raid alert was declared in most regions of Ukraine. It was called when departure of MiG-31K fighters from an airfield in Belarus was detected. It was later established that the warplanes were flying to Russia.
The aircraft can be armed with air-launched, nuclear-capable, hypersonic Kinzhal cruise missiles.
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