Ukraine targets Russian strategic bomber airbase, resulting in a massive explosion

On Thursday, Ukraine launched a drone strike on a significant Russian strategic bomber airfield, resulting in a massive explosion and fire approximately 700 km (435 miles) from the conflict’s front lines, according to officials from both Russia and Ukraine.

Verified videos obtained by Reuters depicted a large explosion emanating from the airfield, damaging nearby cottages. The Russian defense ministry reported that air defenses intercepted 132 Ukrainian drones across various regions in Russia.

Additional verified footage captured a substantial column of smoke rising into the early morning sky alongside a fierce blaze. The Engels base, which has its origins in the Soviet era, is home to Russia’s Tupolev Tu-160 heavy strategic bombers, often referred to as White Swans.

Roman Busargin, the governor of Saratov, confirmed that a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the city of Engels, igniting a fire at the airfield and prompting the evacuation of local residents. While he did not explicitly name the Engels base, it is the primary airfield in the vicinity.

Ukraine’s defense ministry stated that its forces successfully hit the airfield, causing secondary explosions of munitions. Kyiv accused Russia of utilizing the Engels base to launch strikes against Ukraine. Local officials reported that ten individuals sustained injuries from the attack, and some residents were taken aback to discover fragments of Ukrainian drones in their yards. The Shot Telegram channel indicated that the drones used in the strike were PD-2 and Liutyi models.

Maxim Leonov, the head of the Engels district, announced a local state of emergency but provided limited information. Reuters has not been able to independently verify the events at the airfield. Ukraine has previously targeted the Engels air base since December 2022, claiming in January to have struck an oil depot associated with the base, which resulted in a significant fire that took five days to extinguish.