Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Aratta special unit reports active construction in the northern sector of the Engels-2 air base, where concrete is being poured to prepare 12 new aircraft parking stands intended for the Tu-95MS, Tu-160, Su-34 and Su-35 types. The work appears aimed at increasing shelter and sortie capacity for long-range strike and strike-support aircraft.
The Engels-2 airfield is a key launch point for Moscow's massed long-range strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Ukrainian reconnaissance and strike drones have previously hit facilities at the base, destroying dozens of cruise missiles and associated fuel and storage sites, explosions from those strikes were reportedly audible as far away as Saratov.
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The widening of aircraft posture and hardened parking indicates russia is preparing to sustain or increase future waves of air strikes. New concrete hardstands reduce turnaround time, facilitate dispersed basing, and allow for rapid surge operations by strategic and tactical aviation, including the Tu-95MS and Tu-160 deep-strike platforms.
From a tactical perspective, the upgrades make the Engels-2 air base a higher-value target: expanded capacity increases the number of aircraft that can be launched in a single campaign and shortens rearming cycles. At the same time, construction activity itself creates windows of vulnerability that intelligence and strike forces can exploit.
For Kyiv, the developments underscore a strategic imperative. To blunt future massed attacks, Ukraine needs to further scale deep-strike capabilities – long-range loitering munitions and strike UAVs, extended-range missiles, and precision conventional weapons that can reach and degrade enemy air bases before sorties are launched. Intelligence that pinpoints construction and movement will be key to timing such counter-strikes.
As Defense Express previously reported, new combat video released by Ukraine's Defense Intelligence offers a rare glimpse into the close-quarters warfare carried out by its elite Group 10 special operations unit, which operates under the Department of Active Operations.
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