Planet imagery acquired on 11FEB2021 showed that 11 x Su-25SM had relocated to Millervo east of Luhansk. The airbase hosts the 31 IAP which has been converting to the Su-30SM from the MIG-29 since 2015. #geoint
The previous Russian bde level deployment has relocated from Bakhchysarai. Imagery from @capellaspace shows loading activity at the nearby RTP.
Imagery acquired by @capellaspace on 16FEB2021 shows loading/unloading activity of a Ropucha-class LST at Sevastopol. (sry typo fix*)
SAR collected on 19FEB2022 by @capellaspace continued to show 32 x FROGFOOT deployed to Luninets airbase in Belarus.
Imagery captured by @planet on 19FEB2022 showed convoy formations at Novoozerne including a 2S19 battalion, MLRS batteries and other support elements. An expanded camp and a new motor pool were also visible in the area.
2 x 2S19 batteries were also visible to the north. Excellent resolution for a small fridge-size satellite!
However, no significant changes to deployments at Filativka (@capellaspace)
Meanwhile, imagery acquired by @planet on 20FEB2022 shows a mix of civilian and military vehicles halted on the E-40 south of Luhansk. It's unclear exactly what has occurred.
There's still some stragglers but pretty quiet at the border crossing near Chomutovka.
With the tooth gone, so goes the tail. Today at Pogonovo, imagery from @planet.
New @capellaspace collection on 22FEB2022 shows a Russian ground force presence southwest of Belgorod which included tanks, SPH, possible IFV/APCs, HETs, and other support equipment.
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This is Luninets AB, located approximately 50 km north of the Ukrainian border in #Belarus. It's a reserve airfield that we often see used in air and air defense exercises. (Imagery: @planet)
Similarly, we also have Babryusk AB, another reserve airfield that #Russia has previously used in air defense exercises with Belarus. Like Luninets, we have an active EW site and a cleared runway. (Imagery: @planet)
Then there's Baranovichi where Russian Su-30SM likely stayed on. However, this low light image from December 2021 doesn't show the canards very clearly. (Imagery: @planet) BY Su-30SM parked in QRA right / prob RS Su-30SM on main ramp w/ prob BY MIG-29.
As #china claimed the Sakteng wildlife sanctuary in eastern #bhutan in June 2020—in likely an effort to sow further confusion—it built a new track to one of four new areas cleared for construction in the Dramana and Shakhatoe areas of western Bhutan. shorturl.at/gipNW
Given the Ladakh crisis that had just begun, it’s likely decision makers were off-balance as China exerted additional pressure with new deployments along the LAC, some of which we still see today. (imagery: @planet)
Furthermore, construction activity has also been monitored in the Langmarpo valley and further south on the Doklam plateau. Several areas have been cleared and we expect additional construction activity in 2022. Here's an area with new foundations (imagery: @capellaspace)
@planetlabs has a series of great collects of China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Interestingly, the rotating service structure on pad 921 underwent modification in June likely to accommodate a larger payload fairing on the LM-2F rocket for the 4 September launch.
Here's a quick look at the service structure before modification.
Here's a nice off nadir shot during modification in June with a section of the structure removed.