Zelensky: Ukraine Destroyed Tu-95 Strategic Bomber in Engels

The Security Service of Ukraine destroyed a Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber and missile carrier at the Engels-2 air base in the Saratov region.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this on July 17.

He also posted a video compilation from monitoring Telegram channels showing the attack and explosions near the military airfield.

“I am grateful to our soldiers for their accuracy. Once again, long-range strikes against Russia in response to this war have been successful. Specifically, the SSU destroyed a Tu-95 military aircraft in Engels that was being used for Russian missile strikes against our country,” the president of Ukraine reported to social media.

Zelensky added that the location is approximately 800 kilometers from Ukraine’s state border.

Footage published by the head of state indicates that this was an attack by kamikaze-style drones that took place on the night of July 16 on the Russian Engels-2 strategic air base, located near the city of Engels.

At approximately 1:47 a.m., Roman Busargin, governor of the Saratov region, reported a threat to the region posed by drones. Starting at 2:30 a.m., residents of Saratov and Engels began posting on social media about a large number of drones in the sky and complaining about explosions.

After the drone strike, a fire broke out at the military airfield, and the smoke from it was captured on video by eyewitnesses.

The Engels-2 air base is home to Russian Tu-95MS and Tu-160 missile-carrying bombers, which regularly attack Ukraine with Kh-101 cruise missiles. In addition, the base houses depots for ammunition, fuel, equipment, and aircraft maintenance supplies.

Prior to this strike, the Ukrainian Defense Forces already had experience destroying, in particular, Tu-95MS strategic bombers during Operation Spiderweb last year.

Last year, the Russians began work on expanding the Engels-2 air base, specifically to build additional parking bays designed to accommodate a larger number of aircraft.