British Defence Intelligence: Russia Deploys MiG-31K Jets Equipped With ALBM In Belarus

• 1.11.2022, 9:59

The jets were parked at the Machulishchy Airfield.

The resulting images taken by the British Defence Intelligence showed two MiG-31K FOXHOUND interceptor jets were almost certainly parked at Belarus’s Machulishchy Airfield on 17 October, with a large canister stored nearby within a protective earth berm.

"It is likely that the canister is associated with the AS-24 KILLJOY air-launched ballistic missiles, a large munition which the MiG-31K variant is adapted to carry," British Intelligence analysts note.

Russia has fielded KILLJOY since 2018, but it has not previously been deployed in Belarus. Russia has occasionally launched these weapons during the Ukraine war, but, according to the British Defence Intelligence, stocks are likely very limited. Russia continues to expend its advanced long-range munitions against targets of limited operational importance.

With a range of over 2000km, basing KILLJOY in Belarus gives Russia a little added advantage in terms of striking additional targets within Ukraine.