KYIV — Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has struck a Russian Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying bomber at the Engels-2 military airbase in Russia’s Saratov region, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday.
The operation was carried out by the SBU’s Alpha special operations unit using long-range drones. The SBU said its drones travelled approximately 800 kilometers to reach the airbase.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the strike, saying the targeted Tu-95MS belongs to the type of aircraft Russia uses to conduct missile strikes against Ukraine.
“In the Russian Engels, the soldiers of the SBU "Alpha" hit a TU-95MS missile carrier. These are the planes that strike Ukraine.”
Damage to Tu-95MS
Satellite imagery and images published by analysts from the AviVector group show significant damage to the bomber’s right wing, with part of the wing structure appearing to have broken away. Analysts tracking the airbase identified the aircraft as a Tu-95MS that had been used for training flights.
Analysts cited in Ukrainian media assessed that the aircraft is beyond repair because of the extent of the damage. The assessment is based on available imagery and analysis rather than an independent Russian confirmation.
The SBU also said that, according to preliminary information, the strike hit an ammunition depot and a fuel and lubricants storage facility at the airbase in addition to the bomber.
Second Tu-95MS Hit at Engels
The August 28 operation is the second reported SBU strike against a Tu-95MS at Engels in roughly six weeks.
On July 16-17, Ukrainian forces struck another Tu-95MS at the same airbase. Satellite imagery subsequently showed that the aircraft’s tail section had been completely destroyed, leaving the bomber beyond repair.
The SBU has described the July operation as the destruction of a Tu-95 used by Russia for missile strikes against Ukraine. Zelensky also confirmed that aircraft was approximately 800 kilometers from Ukraine’s border.
Role of Engels-2
The Engels-2 airbase is an important Russian base for long-range strategic aviation. Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers operate from the facility, and the Tu-95MS is used as a missile-carrying platform for Russia’s long-range strikes against Ukraine. Ukrainian Defence Intelligence has identified the Kh-101, Kh-555 and Kh-55 as cruise missiles launched by Russian aircraft of this type.
The location of the airbase makes it a significant distance from the Ukrainian border. The SBU said its drones covered about 800 kilometers during the latest operation.
Other Ukrainian Strikes Reported
The Tu-95MS strike was reported alongside other Ukrainian operations against targets inside Russia.
Zelensky said Ukrainian forces also struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, located about 1,000 kilometers from the front line, and conducted strikes against Russian targets in the Black Sea.
The Yaroslavl operation targeted the Slavneft-YANOS refinery, according to Ukraine’s General Staff and Ukrainian media reports.
The latest strike at Engels adds another reported loss of a Russian strategic bomber to Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign against Russian military infrastructure. The damage to the August 28 Tu-95MS has been documented in satellite imagery, while the assessment that the aircraft cannot be repaired remains an analyst assessment.
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