Fire ravages Soviet-era plane at Russian military airport
A fire occurred at one of the military airports in Russia, resulting in the destruction of a Tu-134 aircraft. These structures, dating back to the Soviet Union era, are used, among other things, by the management of the Russian Ministry of Defense. This information was shared on Monday, October 14, by Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR).
2:06 PM EDT, October 14, 2024
"On the night of October 12 to 13, 2024, a fire broke out in Russia, destroying a Tu-134 aircraft belonging to the 117th Transport Aviation Regiment of the armed forces of the aggressor state. At the Orenburg-2 military airport, where this machine was based, a devastating fire erupted," reads a statement from HUR posted on Telegram.
Attack a thousand miles from the front
The Ukrainians do not disclose details of the incident, but it is worth noting that the strike on the Orenburg-2 airport means that if the attack originated from the territory of the defending country, an unspecified weapon had to travel over 620 miles.
The Polish Press Agency reminds that since Moscow began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, arson attacks on military facilities in Russia have become frequent.
Russian Tu-134
The Tu-134 is a medium-range passenger aircraft that gained popularity, especially in the countries of the former Eastern Bloc. Production began in the 1960s, and the aircraft was one of the main planes both in airlines and in the armed forces of many countries.
The aircraft from the 1960s does not have a military purpose. It doesn't possess any features that would give it offensive capabilities. The Tu-134 cannot attack enemy units from the air and is not adapted for aerial reconnaissance like the A-50, which has a special radar.
The Tu-134 is powered by two Soloviev D-30-II turbofan engines, which accelerate the structure to a maximum speed of 560 mph. The aircraft has a range of about 1,240 miles. With dimensions of a 95-foot wingspan, a 121-foot length, and a 30-foot height, the Tu-134 weighs over 64,000 pounds. Currently, the primary use of such aircraft is passenger transport.
As late as 2020, the civilian users of the Soviet-era design were North Korea, Syria, and the Russian Federation. Meanwhile, the armed forces of Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Russia used them for military purposes.
