In the early hours of Wednesday, Jan. 8, drones launched by Ukraine’s Armed Forces (AFU) struck an oil depot in the Russian city of Engels, in the Saratov region, according to the General Staff of AFU. The target was the Kristall Complex, which supplies fuel to the Engels-2 military airfield, home to the strategic aviation fleet of the Russian aerospace forces.
The Ukrainian General Staff said it was still clarifying the results the strike. Numerous explosions and a large-scale fire in the area were reported on social media. According to the Telegram channel ASTRA, residents in Engels reported hearing up to 15 explosions. Local authorities only confirmed there had been a hit on an “industrial facility.”
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“The strike on the oil depot poses serious logistical challenges for the strategic aviation of the Russian occupiers and significantly reduces their ability to launch attacks on peaceful Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure,” a spokesperson for the General Staff said, adding, “… to be continued.”
An anonymous source cited by the Telegram channel Kremlevskaya Tabakerka (Kremlin Secrets) remarked on the surprising lack of adequate protection for such a critical facility. Off-record comments from military personnel suggested that the raid was even a risk to Tu-95MS missile carriers.
“We were lucky the (drones) didn’t make it. The airfield is less than 10 kilometers [6.25 miles] away,” the source said.
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The governor of the Saratov region said, “An operational headquarters has been set up at the enterprise where the fire occurred due to a UAV attack. Specialists have assessed the situation and developed a containment plan. Sufficient resources are available to localize the fire.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 32 Ukrainian drones overnight over seven Russian regions including the Azov Sea.
Engels-2 is home to the 121st Guards Sevastopol and 184th Bomber Aviation Regiments, flying respectively Russia’s supersonic Tu-22M3 (NATO: “Backfire”) and the turboprop Tu-95MS (NATO: “Bear”) bombers.
Russian pilots and ground crews stationed at the airbase have carried out hundreds of strike missions against Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, mostly by launching long-range cruise missiles beyond the range of Ukrainian air defenses.
The Engels-2 airfield plays a critical role in Russia’s war against Ukraine, supporting the base and operational readiness of strategic bombers. Strikes against this facility have not only military effects but also symbolize Ukraine’s ability to strike deep into Russian territory.
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