Ukraine's Engels drone strike destroyed 96 Russian cruise missiles, General Staff claims
Ukraine's strike on Russia's Engels-2 military airfield on March 20 destroyed 96 air-launched cruise missiles, Ukraine's General Staff said on March 26.
The missiles were reportedly intended for three planned strikes in March and April.
The attack destroyed multiple Kh-101 cruise missiles, among other munitions, Andrii Kovalenko, an official at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said on March 20.
A fire, explosions, and secondary detonations of ammunition were recorded at the air base following the attack.
"Strikes on aviation fuel storage sites have led to the destruction of significant stocks, which negatively affects the Russian aggressor's ability to support combat operations," Ukraine's General Staff reported.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.
Located in Russia's Saratov Oblast, over 450 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, Engels-2 is home to the 184th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment and the 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment.
The airfield houses three types of strategic bombers regularly used in missile attacks on Ukraine: the Tu-95, Tu-22, and Tu-160.
The Tu-95, first flown in 1952, was originally designed for nuclear bombing missions but has since been adapted to launch cruise missiles.
Each aircraft can carry up to 16 Kh-55, Kh-555, Kh-101, or Kh-102 missiles. The Tu-95's turboprop engines allow for long-range missions without refueling.
Engels-2 has been a frequent target of Ukrainian strikes since Russia's full-scale invasion. A drone attack on Dec. 5, 2022, reportedly damaged two Tu-95 bombers.
The British Defense Ministry at the time called it "one of the most strategically significant failures of force protection since (Russia's) invasion."
Subsequent drone attacks in December 2022 and January 2024 targeted Engels, with the most recent incident setting fire to an ammunition depot.
Martin Fornusek
