Dramatic video has captured the moment two Russian nuclear bombers were blown up at a military airfield in a suspected attack by Ukrainian drones on Monday.
Black-and-white footage obtained by East2West News shows a bright flash at the Engels-1 air base in the Saratov region of Russia.
Two servicemen were injured in an attack on two old Tupolev Tu-95 four-engine turboprop strategic bombers introduced in 1952, Astra Telegram news channel reports. reportedciting unnamed sources.
There have been no reports of nuclear poisoning in the strikes on the planes, known as the Bears, 460 miles from the Ukrainian border.
The blast set off car alarms at least six miles away. Kyiv Post reported about it.
The governor of Saratov, Roman Busargin, confirmed in his statement that there was an explosion in Engels.
“I want to assure you that there is no reason to worry. No part of the civil infrastructure was damaged,” he said.
Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ikhnat confirmed that two bombers in Engels were damaged and Russian servicemen were killed, the Kyiv Post reported.
He neither confirmed nor denied that the Ukrainian military was responsible for the attack.
Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. He announced this on his Telegram channel Monday: “A drone damaged two Tu-95 aircraft and a fuel truck exploded at an airfield near Ryazan.”
“From Engels Air Base [Russian] Nazis are launching missile attacks on Ukraine,” he added.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “aware of the attacks.”
Tu-95s were deployed in non-nuclear attacks on infrastructure in Ukraine during a strongman invasion of the country.
Three people were killed and five others were injured in another attack when a fuel truck exploded at the Dyagilev airbase near Ryazan, East2West reported.
The VCHK Telegram channel reported that the strike was carried out using a drone.
“There were explosions at airfields near Ryazan and Engels [where] there is a strategic aviation airfield,” the report said. “There was a drone attack in Engels. It looks the same in Ryazan.”
Since October, the Kremlin has deployed Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers from Engels to fire up to 80 cruise missiles a day at Ukrainian power grids, the Kyiv Post reported.
On November 23, Engels-based bombers destroyed Ukraine’s power grid, leaving tens of millions of residents without power for up to three days.
On Friday, Ukrainian news agencies reported that Russia has about 20 strategic bombers at Engels and plans to launch more strikes within 48-72 hours.
One Russian military blogger was surprised that the Kremlin’s air defense command was unable to protect the airport from being hit by cheap drones.
“They (the West) are laughing. Really, can you imagine how loud the laughter was in the military headquarters in America? Kyiv Post wrote in Sinyaya Boroda.
“Russia’s strategic nuclear forces can be shot down by cheap drones. Russia’s strategic nuclear forces are not protected by anything. Russia’s strategic nuclear forces are weak,” added Boroda.