New satellite images show the damage after Ukraine struck a bomber base deep inside Russia

• Ukrainian forces carried out an attack on an airbase deep inside Russia this week.

• New satellite images reveal extensive damage at the Engels-2 airbase.

• It marks Ukraine’s latest deep-strike operation as Kyiv attempts to degrade Russia’s war machine.

New satellite imagery obtained by Business Insider shows damage at a key airbase deep inside Russia after a Ukrainian attack earlier in the week.

Ukraine’s military said on Thursday that its forces struck the Engels-2 airfield in Russia’s Saratov region overnight. It added that a fire, explosions, and a secondary detonation of ammunition were observed in the immediate vicinity of the base.

Maxar, a US commercial satellite imaging company, collected photos on Friday that revealed the aftermath of the attack. It said the strikes damaged an ammunition and weapons storage area, with explosions taking down buildings and bunkers.

The Russian airbase sits several hundred miles from the front lines and is home to Tu-95 and Tu-160 bomber aircraft. Ukraine has attacked the airfield several times during the war. This was the third attack this year; Kyiv conducted strikes on Engels twice in January.

Kyiv’s military said that Russia uses the Engels airbase to launch aircraft that carry out missile strikes against targets on Ukrainian territory, including civilian targets.

The Russian governor of the Saratov region wrote on the Telegram messaging platform that the area suffered “the most massive UAV attack of all time” after the overnight strikes.

Russia has taken extensive measures to protect the aircraft at Engels after previous attacks on the base, including placing tires on the bombers to possibly shield them from Ukrainian missiles and drones. Russia has also relocated some of its bombers further east.

Ukraine’s strikes on the base, as well as other cross-border targets, highlight its larger campaign to threaten and degrade Russia’s military infrastructure hundreds of miles away from the front lines.

This week’s attack on the base came amid a larger barrage. Russia’s defense ministry said on Thursday that it had engaged and shot down 134 drones overnight across multiple regions.

Meanwhile, Russia has been continuing its bombardment of Ukraine; Moscow launched over 200 drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight on Wednesday, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Russia and Ukraine have discussed a limited cease-fire, with the US serving as an intermediary. Last week, Kyiv signaled its openness to an immediate 30-day cease-fire, but Moscow has continued its missile barrages on Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure. The two countries, however, appear to have agreed to a reduction in attacks on energy facilities.

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