Russian A-50 AWACS Damaged in Belarus: Deep Fake or Real?

Pro-Ukrainian reports of the Russian A-50 AWACS aircraft attacked in Belarus are going around to show the aircraft damaged after a drone attack.

At the same time, Reports in Russian and Belarussian media have shown the aircraft intact.

The A-50 was reportedly damaged by explosions while stationary at the Machulishchy air base near Minsk, Belarus.

Belarusian partisans have claimed to have attacked the plain using drone-dropped munitions.

However, satellite imagery of the Machulishuchy air base fron 28 February shwed no significant damage to the sole A-50 llocated there.

Drones launched from Ukraine have in the past attacked Russian air bases housing Tu-22 and Tu-160 bombers of the RuAF. However, Ukraine has not officially claimed attacks on targets inside Russia.

According to Russian ORBAT sources, Moscow has some 15 A-50 aircraft. It is not known how many of them are in operation. The loss of one active A-50 could dent is early warning capabilities at a time when Ukraine is receiving increasingly sophisticated Western weaponry.