Ukraine-Russia War Latest Updates: Ukraine strikes major Russian strategic bomber airfield with drones; 10 injured: Report
Ukraine has reportedly struck a major Russian strategic bomber airfield on Thursday (March 20, 2025) with drones.The attack triggered a huge blast and fire about 700 km (435 miles) from the front lines of the war, Russian and Ukrainian officials reportedly said.
Ukraine’s defence ministry reportedly said that its forces had struck the airfield, which led to secondary detonations of ammunition. They further said that Russia had used the Engels base to carry out strikes on Ukraine, as per reports.
The Russian defence ministry said air defences had shot down 132 Ukrainian drones over many regions of Russia, as per reports.
Reports quoted local officials as saying that as many as 10 people were injured in the Ukrainian attack.Engels district head Maxim Leonov reportedly said that a local state of emergency in the area had been declared.
Roman Busargin, governor of Saratov, also reportedly confirmed that there had been a Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Engels. He said that the attack had left an airfield on fire, after which nearby residents had been evacuated. Busargin, however, did not mention the Engels base, but it is the main airfield in that area.
The base in Engels, where the attack took place, dates back to the Soviet era. It hosts Russia’s Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear-capable heavy strategic bombers, which are also known as White Swans.
