Satellite imagery of the Ramenskoye (Zhukovsky) airfield in city of Zhukovsky, near Moscow, has revealed the presence of three Tu-160, one Tu-95MS, and one Tu-22M3 strategic bombers. In addition, the construction of new buildings measuring 110 by 77 meters has been observed.
The relevant images were released by the AviVector community. This has sparked speculation about russia's intentions.
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Ukrainian media say the activity is linked to the construction of hangars for strategic aviation, which will now be based just outside Moscow. According to them, the Tu-160s and Tu-95s will be deployed under the complete protection of russia's air and missile defense system.
At present, all evidence points to a different explanation. The deployment of russian Aerospace Forces combat aircraft at Zhukovsky, which also serves as a civilian airport, is not particularly unusual. The 929th State Flight Test Center of the russian Ministry of Defense is located there. Military aircraft and strategic bombers have been tested there for over 100 years.
It is worth noting that russia is currently modernizing its existing Tu-160s and completing the construction of new ones based on Soviet-era designs, so their presence at the Ramenskoye airfield is entirely logical. After all, in the published satellite image, one of the Tu-160s is parked in front of a building labeled Workshop No. 13 of the Tupolev Design Bureau.
russia may also be upgrading Tu-95MS aircraft to the Tu-95MSM variant, while Tu-22M3s are being modernized to the Tu-22M3M. Older publicly available satellite images also show these strategic bombers at the same sites.
As for the hangars themselves, construction is underway at the airfield. However, it is unlikely to have a military purpose. The overall layout of Ramenskoye airfield makes this clear. Notably, the construction site is situated away from the State Flight Test Center and russian aviation enterprises, with no direct connection to the runways via short taxiways. Instead, a link must be constructed to the structures between the runways.
The pavilions of russia's main aerospace exhibition, MAKS (the International Aviation and Space Show), are located there. The event is regularly held in Zhukovsky, although it was canceled in 2023 due to "security concerns." However, last year the russian government issued a decree to hold MAKS-2026 in July–September 2026 in Zhukovsky again.
It is hardly surprising that new pavilions are going up for this "international" exhibition, which the Kremlin will likely use as a propaganda tool.
On the other hand, if Ukraine scales up its long-range strikes and extends their reach, the enemy will indeed have no choice but to shelter its assets under the "umbrella" of Moscow's air defense.
Placing strategic bombers at bases lacking adequate security is effectively an open invitation for Operation Spiderweb to be repeated. That is why, immediately after the operation, russia moved the Tu-160 all the way to Anadyr (Ugolny) airfield in Chukotka—because a truck carrying drones simply could not reach it, as there is no road leading there.
From the Defense Express side, we urges you to join a fundraising for what is already working: One United Fundraiser: Fundraising by the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation for interceptor drones.
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