New high-quality satellite images of the russian Engels strategic aviation airbase reveal the results of the Ukrainian long-range attack on March 20. In space photos, taken the following day and posted by George Barros, head of the GEOINT ISW intelligence group, one of the two ammunition storage sites appears to have been incapacitated for a long time.
Read more: Destruction of Ammunition at Engels Airbase Officially Confirmed – russians Did Indeed Store Cruise Missiles in the Open
Defense Express reminds that the Engels airfield had two such ammo dumps located next to each other. The western site stored Kh-555 and Kh-101 type cruise missiles and provided their maintenance. The eastern site was used for other airborne weaponry, and for certain works on cruise missiles — most likely, maintenance of warheads and their installation inside the missiles before launches.
The Ukrainian attack hit the eastern location. Some of the caponiers (special ramparts) there were wiped out by the explosive force. Two huge craters can be seen in the images. All the buildings were destroyed, too. Apparently, there's also some ammunition scattered on the ground. The pictures also capture russian engineering equipment already clearing off the aftermath of the strike.
As for the western site, there is no visible damage. At least, the rapid-deployment hangars are intact. Worth noting, some of the works on this site usually take place in fully protected buildings but there's no public information at the moment about how exactly what kind of operations the russian Aerospace Forces perform on its cruise missiles and how the destruction of these facilities would affect russia's ability to launch cruise missile strikes using Kh-555 or Kh-101.
Regardless of these specifics, Engels is still a key airbase for russian strategic aviation. It also regularly serves as a stopover airfield for Tu-95MS heavy bombers flying from Olenya airbase near Murmansk. Conveniently situated closer to Ukraine, near the major city of Saratov, Engels often is the place where they refuel and pick up weapons before carrying out their mission and returning to Olenya which is hidden deeper in the rear.
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