Airbase attacks 'some of most strategically significant failures' since Russian invasion
Attacks on a Russian airbase 600km from Ukrainian-controlled territory is likely to be considered as "some of the most strategically significant failures of force protection" since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
In a recent update on Twitter, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said multiple open sources reported explosions at the Engels Airbase and at Dyagilyaevo airfield near Ryazan.
"Two Tu-95 BEAR heavy bombers were reportedly damaged at Engels and three people were killed when a fuel tank exploded at Dyagilyaevo," the MOD said.
"The causes of the explosions have not been confirmed.
"However, if Russia assesses the incidents were deliberate attacks, it will probably consider them as some of the most strategically significant failures of force protection since its invasion of Ukraine.
"The sites are much deeper inside Russia than previous similar explosions: Engels is over 600km from Ukrainian-controlled territory."
The update said Engels is the main operating base of Russia's Long Range Aviation within the west of the country and houses more than 30 heavy bombers.
"These aircraft contribute to Russia's nuclear deterrent and have also frequently been used to launch conventional cruise missiles at Ukraine," the MOD said.
"The LRA is likely to respond by temporarily moving bombers to dispersal airfields.
"The Russian chain of command will probably seek to identify and impose severe sanctions on Russian officers deemed responsible for allowing the incident."
It comes after a recent intelligence update from the MOD said the amount of sorties flown by Russian tactical combat aircraft has dramatically reduced, due to both weather conditions and the threat of Ukrainian air defence.
The MOD added that Russian aircraft probably now conduct "tens of missions per day, compared to a high of up to 300 per day in March 2022".
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