Ukraine attacked airfield near Engels strategic bomber base, Russian officials say

A satellite image shows bomber aircrafts at Engels Air Base in Saratov, Russia. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

An airfield near a Russian strategic bomber base was on fire on Thursday (March 20, 2025) after a major Ukrainian drone attack in southern Russia, according to Russian officials and state media.

The base in Engels, about 700 km (435 miles) from the front lines in Ukraine, hosts Russia’s Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear capable heavy strategic bombers.

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Roman Busargin, the governor of Saratov, said there had been a Ukrainian drone attack on the town of Engels that had left an airfield on fire and that nearby residents had been evacuated.

He did not specifically mention the Engels base, but it is the main airfield in the area.

Unverified footage on Russian Telegram channels showed a plume of black smoke rising above cottages and what appears to be a major fire rising into the dawn sky.

Russia’s defence ministry said air defences had shot down 132 Ukrainian drones over six different regions in southern Russia, including 54 in the Saratov region where the Engels base is located.