Russian strategic bomber base was attacked for the third time, and the consequences have already appeared

Although the Russian army once again launched missile attacks across Ukraine on the last day of 2022, the rather embarrassing fact is that Ukraine’s continued attacks on Russia’s Engels Air Force Base have seriously affected the availability of Russian strategic bombers. Dispatch efficiency.

According to Ukrainian media reports on December 31, air defense alerts have been sounded throughout Ukraine, including the capital Kiev, and missiles are flying towards Kiev. Kyiv and Kiev Oblast officials issued a document calling on the public to enter air defense facilities as soon as possible to avoid air strikes.

But just a few days ago, the Russian Engels base hundreds of kilometers away from Ukraine was attacked by Ukrainian drones for the third time in a month and the second time in a week. Roman Busarkin, governor of Russia's Saratov region, said on the 29th that the Russian military shot down a drone near the Engels Air Force Base in the state, damaging house walls, a car and a garage, but no one was injured.

Engels Airport is the main base of Russia's long-range aviation. Most of the main force of Russian strategic bombers - Tu-160 and Tu-95MS bombers are deployed at the airport. These bombers can carry nuclear weapons or long-range missiles such as Kh-101 and Kh-555, and they are widely used to attack key facilities in Ukraine.

A video previously appeared on social networks showing the activation of the air defense system on the outskirts of Engels District, Saratov Region. The video is accompanied by photos purportedly documenting the operation of the system. The press office of the governor of the Saratov region said the information was being verified by the operations department.

Busarkin wrote on the "Telegram" channel: "The air defense system shot down a drone in the Engels district. The fall of the wreckage caused damage to the wall of a private house, a car and a garage, The glass on the balcony of a house was shattered. No other injuries were reported. The report did not mention where the downed drone belonged. I think this is what Ukraine did. The two previous attacks on the base were both long-range strikes carried out by Ukraine using old-fashioned drones.

The U.S. "Dynamics" website analyzed the attack on Engels Airport through satellite photos on the 29th and concluded that although the base was indeed not significantly damaged in the attack, the Russian Aerospace Forces in Engels long-haul aviation activity has been significantly reduced. According to the report, “New satellite images of Engels Air Base, located in the heart of Russia, starting on December 29, show that repeated attempts by Ukraine to attack the air base, coupled with the arrival of cold weather conditions, have led to combat activities at the base. Significant reduction. Currently, there are only 11 bombers at the base, which is far lower than the 26 bombers deployed at the base on November 29. In addition, the recent snowfall weather experienced by the Engels base also showed that some of the aircraft were inactive. The -95MS strategic bombers were obviously de-iced and parked on the cleared apron and taxiway, but the other four were still covered in snow. In addition, two Tu-160 bombers also seemed to be covered in snow. ”

The US media concluded that Ukraine’s continued attacks on the Russian bomber base forced the Russian army to reduce the number of bombers deployed at the base. Although it is not difficult for a strategic bomber with a maximum range of tens of thousands of kilometers to take off from an airport further away from Ukraine, and the impact on the combat distance is not significant, considering the various missiles and maintenance equipment supporting the strategic bomber, The need to move to other airports, coupled with the increased difficulty in combat operation planning and command caused by dispersed takeoffs, has to be said that these three attacks by Ukraine using old-fashioned drones on Engels Base not only successfully boosted the morale of the Ukrainian army, but also Strategically, it also has the effect of "four or two moves a thousand pounds".

Extended reading:

Another attack on an important strategic airport shocked Russia and Ukraine may have penetrated deep into the Russian hinterland

According to a report by RIA Novosti on December 26, Russia The Ministry of Defense announced on the same day that at about 1:35 Moscow time on December 26, when a Ukrainian drone flew close to the Engels Military Airport in Saratov Oblast, Russia, the Russian Aerospace Forces air defense system shot it down at low altitude. . The wreckage of the drone fell, killing three Russian ground crew members at the airport. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the attack did not cause damage to Russian military aviation equipment deployed at the airport.

Neither the West nor Ukraine has confirmed the Russian official statement.

CNN reported on the 26th that the Russian report that the drone was deliberately shot down before reaching its intended target could not be independently verified. Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ikhnat did not claim responsibility for the drone in comments on Monday, but suggested the attack was "a consequence of what Russia has done."

Ikhnat said: "If the Russians think that the war will not affect anyone on the home front or anywhere else, they are dead wrong. So, as we have seen, this Things are happening more and more frequently, and let us hope that this will only benefit Ukraine.” Earlier, some surveillance videos in Saratov Oblast showed explosions in the sky near Engels Airport. At the time, the state's governor, Governor Busarkin, also assured residents that no civilian infrastructure had been damaged and that "law enforcement agencies are checking information about incidents at military installations." He also wrote on social media: "A piece of news about an accident at Engels Airport early this morning was spread on social networks and the media. There were no major accidents in the city's residential areas and there was absolutely no threat to the residents. All relevant reports from The news about the evacuation of the city is a shameless lie made by foreign countries. Those who deliberately spread false information must be held criminally responsible.”

The attack on Engels Military Airport once again shocked Russia, because it is a very important matter. It is a strategic airport and is about 700 kilometers away from the Russian-Ukrainian border. It is an important base for the Russian Aerospace Forces' long-range strategic bombers, with Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers deployed.

Ukrainian media reported on the 26th that Grasenko, advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, posted on social media that day that Russian strategic bombers were deployed at Engels Military Airport. These strategic bombers took off from this airport and used missiles to attack targets in Ukraine.

On December 5, the Ukrainian army tried to use jet drones to attack the airport and another airport in Ryazan Oblast, Russia, but they were intercepted by the Russian Aerospace Forces air defense system. The crash of the drone wreckage killed three Russian soldiers and caused minor damage to two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers.

Russian military expert Boris Rozhin believes that this incident once again shows that the Russian air defense system has loopholes and has not been well improved. On the 25th, the Russian army launched a large-scale air strike on targets in Ukraine, and air defense sirens were sounded throughout Ukraine. This incident may be a retaliatory counterattack by the Ukrainian army. The Engels Military Airport was attacked twice this month, which is another warning to the Russian defense system.

This view is consistent with the views of Ukrainian experts.

Some Ukrainian military experts believe that the attacks on two airports in Russia earlier this month already have important symbolic significance. This attack once again demonstrated the capabilities and potential of the Ukrainian armed forces to strike military targets deep in Russian territory. The incident also once again exposed the weakness of the Russian military's defense, showing that its border defense and air defense systems have not been truly strengthened since the last attack.

So how did Ukraine conduct this operation?

According to Russian media reports, the former head of the anti-aircraft missile force of the Russian Special Operations Forces Command believed that the attack was probably carried out by the Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance team operating in Russia. Because it is almost impossible for a drone to take off from Ukraine and break through the Russian air defense system over a long distance. Instead, it is very likely to take off from somewhere near Russian territory or even Engels Air Force Airport. He said: "It is almost impossible to fly such a long distance from Ukraine and pass through three Russian air defense zones while remaining invisible and undetected. This airport is protected by strong air defense forces near the airport, which cover the industrial and special military zones. Facility area. This airport is specially protected by a certain number of "Armor" air defense systems. Even with the help of the United States, it is impossible for drones launched from Ukrainian territory to pass through the three lines of Russian air defense systems. ”

Some experts from Ukraine emphasized its drone capabilities, claiming that Ukrainian military industrial enterprises may produce drones with a maximum range of 1,200 kilometers, which can not only hit Engels Airport, but even Moscow.

Previously, there were many rumors about the operations of Ukrainian guerrillas or special forces in Donbas and other places, but if there is such a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance team that can carry equipment deep into the Russian hinterland Hundreds of kilometers can only show that Russia's prevention loopholes are not small.

As for the fact that Ukrainian military industrial enterprises are constantly being bombed by the Russian army, even if they can manufacture or modify drones, they will not get far advanced.

However, such a drone can fly hundreds of kilometers and fly through multiple air defense zones to reach the target. Even if the United States provides help, it also illustrates Russia's air defense loopholes.

Of course, this level of attack by the Ukrainian army can only be regarded as harassment at best, and will not have a substantial impact on the war situation. According to U.S. think tanks, what really affects the course of the war is the degree of external support Ukraine receives and how Russia integrates its mobilized soldiers.

What is really alarming is that this kind of attack reflects the escalation of the competition between the two sides on the battlefield, leaving little hope for a negotiated solution to the problem. According to a report by TASS on the 26th, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Galuzin said in an interview with TASS that Russia does not reject the option of a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis, but it will not negotiate on the conditions now proposed by Kiev. He said that the current situation is that any prediction of the end time of the Ukraine crisis may be untenable, and the military confrontation is of a protracted nature.