Nearly 100 cruise missiles destroyed in Ukraine’s recent strike on Russia’s Engels airbase, military says

The attack thwarted three planned Russian missile assaults set for March and April, as per the General Staff.
nearly 100 cruise missiles destroyed ukraine’s recent strike russia's engels airbase military says explosion engels-2 saratov oblast 20 2025 (l) aftermath (r) photos militarnyi engels2 general staff ukrainian armed forces
Explosion at Engels-2 airbase in Russia’s Saratov Oblast on 20 March 2025 (L) and aftermath of the strike (R). Photos via Militarnyi
Nearly 100 cruise missiles destroyed in Ukraine’s recent strike on Russia’s Engels airbase, military says

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has provided updated information on the results of the recent strike on Russia’s Engels-2 airbase in Saratov oblast, revealing that almost 100 air-launched cruise missiles were destroyed in the attack.

Russia’s strategic bomber base Engels-2 hosts Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers, which launch missile strikes on Ukrainian territory using Kh-55, Kh-555, and Kh-101 cruise missiles. These attacks occur 1-2 times a month, involving dozens of missiles alongside hundreds of one-way attack drones. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s strategic bombing campaign targets Moscow’s military and military-linked facilities within Russia, including airfields, command centers, ammunition depots, and fuel storage sites.

The Ukrainian drone attack on the Engels base occurred on 20 March. On 27 March, the General Staff wrote on Facebook:

“According to updated information, as a result of the strike by Ukraine’s Defense Forces on the Russian aerospace forces airfield ‘Engels-2’ on 20 March 2025, the enemy lost 96 air-launched cruise missiles. Including as a result of secondary detonation.”

According to the military, these weapons were intended for conducting three missile strikes against Ukraine during March-April this year.

The General Staff also noted that strikes on aviation fuel storage facilities destroyed significant reserves, “negatively impacting the Russian aggressor’s ability to support combat operations.

UK intel: Ukraine’s Engels-2 airbase strike marks 2025’s most successful ammo depot attack yet

Militarnyi reports that during the attack local residents heard explosion sounds during the drone attack as far as Saratov city, located approximately 15 km away.

Satellite imagery later confirmed the destruction of all warehouse buildings in the aviation weapons storage area at Engels-2, as well as several craters in open ammunition storage areas. The images also revealed traces of fire in the surrounding territory.

This attack is not the first on this Russian airbase and its infrastructure during the war. In January, Ukrainian drones struck aviation fuel storage facilities for Russian strategic bombers twice. The city of Engels also hosts the Kristall oil depot of the Rosrezerv complex, which has already been targeted by Ukrainian drones this year.

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