On the night of 19-20 March Ukraine launched their “most successful” strike on the Russian airbase on Engels.
British intelligence said the strike involved a large number of drones hit the munitions storage area at Russia’s strategic aviation airbase Engels-2 which is around 600km from the border.
The Engels-2 airbase is used for large scale attacks on Ukraine and the strike will “likely disrupt operations” for Russia for a while.
RBC-Ukraine reported, aviation expert Anatolii Khrapchinskyi said, “It was at these depots where containers for Kh-101/Kh-555 missiles, used by Russia to attack Ukraine from Tu-160 and Tu-95 aircraft, were stored.
“There is also a likelihood that a missile pre-flight preparation center was located there, which may have also been destroyed.”
British intelligence stated in their report, “The substantial loss will likely disrupt strike operations from the airfield in the short term, forcing Russia to improve its defensive posture and replenish munitions stocks.”
The airbase is home to the nuclear capable strategic bombers and it is likely they have been relocated.
The UK Ministry of Defence said, “This strike is Ukraine’s most successful targeting of a Russian munitions depot in 2025 and continues the pattern of regular Ukrainian UAV strikes deep into Russian territory.
“It also highlights the continuing struggles that stretched Russian air defence face in protecting its strategic military sites.”
