An ammunition warehouse detonated in the area of the Engels strategic aviation airbase near Saratov, where russian Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers are based. According to an analysis of the video from the scene, which shows a powerful secondary detonation, this could, with a high probability, be the warehouse where the Kh-101 and Kh-555 cruise missiles were stored.
In particular, photos and videos with a huge "mushroom" of the explosion that occurred on Thursday, March 20, at around 7 a.m. local time are already actively spreading on the network. The fact of the detonation is confirmed by local authorities, who previously reported a massive attack by Ukrainian long-range drones at around 3 a.m., of which 54 were allegedly shot down over the Saratov region.
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A number of OSINT communities have already managed to localize the explosion site, next to the air base. Some researchers point to the ammunition depot. At the same time, other communities point to the destruction of the fuel and lubricant storage site.
At the same time, it is known that this was a secondary detonation, as a result of which dozens of buildings were damaged.
In the video, you can hear small arms ammunition continuing to detonate, apparently it is ammunition for aircraft guns. This indicates that the ammunition depot was hit, not the fuel depot.
Another video shows an explosive secondary detonation that occurred around 7 a.m. - this is not typical for burning fuel tanks.
At the moment, everything indicates that the detonation occurred at an aviation ammunition depot for strategic aviation. Given that the Engels airbase is home base to Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers from the 121st and 184th heavy bomber aviation regiments of the russian Aerospace Forces, it is highly likely that in this case we are talking about cruise missiles of the Kh-101 and Kh-555 types.
Detailed satellite images show, at least, transport containers for cruise missiles, the number of which has significantly decreased during the russia-Ukraine war.
Probably, some of the ammunition could be stored in light structures that protect only from weather conditions and only some of them in protected structures. The picture below shows all three options. At the same time, it is quite doubtful that the russian federation would store equipped with warheads and fueled cruise missiles in the open air in the third year of the war.
At the same time, the latter cannot be ruled out - given that the russians could be preparing for a long-range attack and Ukrainian drones could hit the storage location of the cruise missiles prepared for use. Against the background of the first official report on the use of Ukrainian "Long Neptune" cruise missile with a flight range of up to 1000 km, it is quite possible that it is precisely such a weapon with a full-fledged warhead weighing hundreds, not tens of kilograms, that was used for such an effective attack.
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