Ukraine launched a large-scale drone strike on Russia's Engels airbase overnight, inflicting damage on one of Moscow's key strategic bomber facilities, according to Ukrainian and Russian officials. The attack triggered a significant fire and left at least ten people injured, as reported by local authorities.
Roman Busargin, governor of Russia's Saratov region, confirmed the airbase and surrounding areas experienced what he described as "the most massive UAV attack of all time." In a post on Telegram, Busargin said approximately 30 homes were damaged and a fire had broken out at the airfield. He also reported windows blown out at a nearby hospital, where one woman was injured, as well as damage to two kindergartens and a school.
The Engels airbase, located over 465 miles from Ukraine's border, houses Russia's Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear-capable bombers. Russian authorities said air defenses intercepted 54 Ukrainian drones over Saratov Oblast and a total of 132 drones across seven Russian or Russian-controlled regions during the night.
Ukraine's General Staff claimed responsibility for the operation, stating that the attack was carried out in collaboration with the Security Service of Ukraine and Special Operations Forces. "Fire, explosions and secondary detonation of ammunition were recorded in the area of the airport," the military said. "This military facility is used by occupiers' aviation, in particular, to launch missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine and terrorist attacks against civilians."
Ukraine's Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Counter-Disinformation Center under the National Security and Defense Council, posted video footage of the attack, showing fires blazing at night. "Russian Engels," he wrote. Kovalenko added that missile stockpiles, including Kh-101 cruise missiles, were destroyed. "The number will be known later," he said.
Verified videos shared online depicted a large explosion followed by a thick column of smoke rising from the vicinity of the airbase. Local residents also reported finding drone debris in their yards, according to regional media outlets.
The Engels airbase has been a frequent target of Ukrainian attacks, with previous strikes recorded in December 2022 and January of this year. In January, Ukrainian forces claimed to have hit an oil depot connected to the base, sparking a fire that burned for five days.
Russia's Defense Ministry stated that while its defenses neutralized the majority of the drones, several caused damage to infrastructure.
Simultaneously, Ukrainian authorities reported a series of Russian strikes across several regions. In the eastern city of Kupyansk, the regional governor said Russia dropped more than 20 bombs over several hours, killing at least one person and injuring another. The central city of Kropyvnytskyi also endured over 30 explosions overnight.
Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 171 drones against Ukrainian targets, with 75 intercepted and 63 failing mid-flight.
"Russia's attacks on Ukraine, despite its propaganda statements, do not stop," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. "With each such launch, the Russians show the world their true attitude to peace."
The wave of strikes by both sides followed closely on the heels of a phone conversation between President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy earlier this week, in which Ukraine agreed to a proposed 30-day ceasefire focusing on energy and infrastructure targets. Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled his approval of the limited ceasefire during a call with Trump on Tuesday.
Trump described his discussion with Zelenskyy as "very good," writing on Truth Social, "Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs. We are very much on track."
