On a recent morning, residents of Saratov and its nearby suburb, Engels, were awakened by the sound of explosions as Ukrainian drones struck high-rise residential buildings. The actual target appears to have been the Engels air base, a strategic site housing russia’s Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers.
One of the drones reportedly hit the tallest building in Saratov and the entire Volga region – a 128-meter, 38-story tower in the Volga-Sky residential complex. Another UAV impacted the upper floors of a high-rise in Engels, just kilometers from the Engels airfield. This airfield is a crucial site for russia’s strategic aviation and a potential hub for bombers participating in operations over Ukraine.
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While the specific models of drones used in the attack remain unclear, some reports suggest they could be the Bober type UAVs. The Ministry of Defense of russia claims to have intercepted and shot down 20 Ukrainian drones, nine of which in Saratov region. Despite these claims, there has been no official acknowledgment of damage to the Engels airfield. Local authorities have confirmed casualties from the strikes.
The timing of the attack coincides with the presence of 11 Tu-95MS bombers that were airborne at the time, having reportedly participated in a strike on Ukraine that day.
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