Engels is located more than 370 miles east of the border with Ukraine, and is home to Tu-95 and Tu-160 nuclear-capable strategic bombers that have been involved in missile attacks on Ukraine.
Usually, these bombers are held in reserve to ensure Russia’s nuclear deterrence capabilities. No aircraft were damaged in Monday’s attack, according to the Russian military. The Washington Post could not independently verify Moscow’s claims.
Early this month, strikes attributed to Ukraine rocked two military installations deep inside Russia, including the Engels. The attacks, among Ukraine’s most brazen within Russia, killed three Russian servicemen and “slightly damaged” the hull of two planes, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.
While Ukraine has not publicly acknowledged earlier strikes, senior government officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, confirmed the country’s responsibility for the prices drone strike at Engels.
It was unclear whether Ukraine used a remodeled Soviet drone or showcased newly developed technology, and whether it launched from Ukrainian territory or inside Russia with the support of special operations forces.
Yuriy Ihnat, a Ukrainian air force spokesman, in ambiguous, televised remarks on Monday said that Russia should interpret the latest incident at Engle as a consequence of Russian aggression.
“If the Russians thought that no one in the deep rear or anywhere else would be affected by the war, then they were wrong,” Ihnat said. “As we can see, such things are happening more and more often, and let’s hope that this will only benefit Ukraine.”
Ihnat did not offer any assessment of potential damage.
Recent months have seen a spate of attacks against strategically important Russian sites, as Ukraine grows bolder and becomes more systemic in its attempts to weaken the Russian military.
In August, the Saki air base near Novofedorivka, Crimea — which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014 and has occupied since — was repeatedly rocked by blasts, bringing the conflict to a popular holiday destination for Russians.
The following month, Ukraine reportedly struck the base of the Russian 3rd Motorized Rifle Division near Valuyki, close to the Russia-Ukraine border. And in October, Russia said Ukraine attacked “military and civilian” ships near Sevastopol in Crimea. These attacks were carried out, experts say, as a sign that Russia’s high-value targets are not off-limits.
Isabelle Khurshudyan in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
