According to Ukrainian media 65438+February 3 1, air defense alarms have been sounded all over Ukraine, including the capital Kiev, and missiles are flying in the direction of Kiev. Kiev and Kiev officials issued a document calling on people to enter air defense facilities as soon as possible to avoid air strikes.
But just a few days ago, the Engels base of the Russian army, hundreds of kilometers away from Ukraine, was attacked by Ukrainian drones for the third time in a month and the second time in a week. Roman Bhusal King, governor of Saratov state, Russia, said on the 29th that Russian troops shot down a drone near Engels Air Force Base in the state, and the house wall, a car and garage were damaged, but no one was injured.
Engels airport is the main base of Russian long-range aviation, and most of Russia's main strategic bombers-Tu-160 and Tu -95MS bombers are deployed at this airport. These bombers can carry nuclear weapons or long-range missiles, such as Kh- 10 1 and Kh-555, which are widely used to attack major facilities in Ukraine.
Previously, a video appeared on social networks, showing that the air defense system was launched in the suburb of Engels District, Saratov State. The video is accompanied by photos allegedly recording the operation of the system. Saratov Governor's Press Office said that the combat department was checking the information.
Bhusal King wrote on the telegraph channel: "The air defense system shot down a drone in engers. The falling debris damaged the wall of a house, a car and a garage, and the glass on the balcony of a house was shattered. No other damage. No one was hurt. The action department is on the scene. "
The report did not mention where the drone was shot down, but it is widely believed that this should be done by Ukraine. The base has been attacked twice before, both of which were long-range strikes launched by Ukraine using old drones.
On the 29th, the US website Power analyzed the attack on Engels Airport through satellite photos, and thought that although the base was not obviously damaged in the attack, the long-range aviation activities of the Russian Air Force in Engels were significantly reduced. According to the report, "From 65438+February 29th, the new satellite images of Engels Air Force Base in the hinterland of Russia showed that the combat activities of the base were significantly reduced due to Ukraine's repeated attempts to attack the air base and the arrival of cold weather conditions. At present, there are only 1 1 bombers in the base, far less than 165438+26 bombers deployed in the base on October 29th. In addition, the recent snowfall in Engels base also shows that some of them are not active. For example, five Tu -95MS strategic bombers were obviously deiced and stopped on the cleared tarmac and taxiway, but the other four were still covered with snow. In addition, there are two Tu-160 bombers that seem to be covered with snow. "
Tu-160 strategic bomber
The American media concluded that Ukraine's continued attack on the Russian bomber base forced the Russian army to reduce the number of bombers deployed at the base. Although it is not difficult for a strategic bomber with a maximum range of 1 10,000 km to take off from an airport farther away from Ukraine, it has little impact on the operational distance. However, considering that all kinds of missiles and maintenance equipment for strategic bombers also need to be moved to other airports, and the difficulty of battle planning and command brought about by decentralized take-off, it must be said that Ukraine's three attacks on Engels base with old drones not only successfully inspired the morale of the Ukrainian army, but also played a strategic role of "four or two"
Extended reading:
Attacks on important strategic airports have shaken Russia's Ukrainian side or gone deep into Russia's hinterland.
According to the Russian news agency 65438+reported on February 26th, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced on the same day that at about 1 35 on February 26th, Moscow time, a drone from Ukraine was shot down at low altitude by the air defense system of the Russian Air Force while flying near Engels military airport in Saratov state, Russia. When the wreckage of the drone fell, three Russian ground crew members at the airport were killed. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the attack did not cause damage to Russian aviation equipment deployed at the airport.
Neither the West nor Ukraine has confirmed the official statement of Russia.
CNN reported on 26th that Russian reports that drones were deliberately shot down when they failed to reach their intended targets could not be independently verified. Yuri Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, did not claim responsibility for the drone in his comments on Monday, but he hinted that the attack was "the result of what Russia did."
Inat said: "If the Russians think that the war will not affect anyone in the rear or anywhere else, then they are all wet. Therefore, as we have seen, such things are becoming more and more frequent, so let us hope that this will only benefit Ukraine. "
Earlier, some surveillance videos in saratov showed that the sky near Engles Airport exploded. At that time, the governor of the state, Bhusal King, also assured residents that no civilian infrastructure was damaged, and that "law enforcement agencies are checking information about military facilities incidents". He also wrote on social media: "A news about the Engels airport accident this morning spread on social networks and media. There have been no major accidents in residential areas of this city, and there is absolutely no threat to residents. All the news about the evacuation from the city are shameless lies fabricated abroad. Those who deliberately spread false information shall bear criminal responsibility. "
The attack on Engels military airport once again shocked Russia, because it is a very important strategic airport, about 700 kilometers away from the Russian-Ukrainian border. It is an important base for the Russian Air Force's long-range strategic bombers, with Tu -95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers deployed.
Ukrainian media reported on 26th that Gerasenko, adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, posted on social media that Russian strategic bombers were deployed at engers military airport. These strategic bombers took off from the airport and attacked targets in Uzbekistan with missiles.
On February 5, 65438, the Ukrainian army tried to attack this airport and another airport in Ryazan, Russia with jet drones, but it was intercepted by the air defense system of the Russian Air Force. Three Russian soldiers were killed when the wreckage of the drone fell, and two Tu -95 strategic bombers of the Russian army were slightly damaged.
Russian military expert Boris Royan believes that the incident once again shows that there are loopholes in the Russian air defense system and it has not been well improved. On the 25th, Russian troops launched a large-scale air strike against targets in Ukraine, and air defense alarms sounded throughout Ukraine. This incident may be a retaliatory counterattack by the Ukrainian army. The two attacks on Engels military airport this month are another warning to the Russian defense system.
This view is consistent with that of Ukrainian experts.
Some Ukrainian military experts believe that the attacks on two airports in Russia at the beginning of this month have already had important symbolic significance. This attack once again shows the ability and potential of Ukrainian armed forces to strike deep military targets in Russia. This incident once again exposed the weakness of Russia's national defense, showing that its border defense and air defense system has not been really strengthened since the last attack.
So how did Ukraine carry out this operation?
According to Russian media reports, the former head of the air defense missile unit of the Russian Special Operations Forces Command believes that the attack is likely to be carried out by Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance teams operating in Russia. Because it is almost impossible for the UAV to take off from Uzbekistan and break through the defense line of Russian air defense system in a long distance, it is very likely to take off from somewhere near Russia or even Engels Air Force Airport. He said: "It is almost impossible to fly such a long distance from Ukraine and pass through three air defense zones in Russia while remaining invisible. The airport is protected by a powerful air defense force, covering industrial and special military regional facilities. This airport has a certain number of armored air defense systems for special protection. Even with the help of the United States, drones launched from Ukraine cannot pass through Russia's three air defense systems. "
Some experts in Ukraine emphasized its UAV capability, claiming that Ukrainian military enterprises may produce UAVs with a maximum range of 1200 km, which can not only reach Engels Airport, but even Moscow.
Previously, there were many discussions about the actions of Ukrainian guerrillas or special forces in Donbass and other places. However, if such a Ukrainian sabotage reconnaissance team can carry equipment into the hinterland of Russia for hundreds of kilometers, it can only show that Russia's defense loopholes are not small.
As for Ukrainian military enterprises, even if they can manufacture or modify drones, they will not be advanced. However, such drones can fly hundreds of kilometers and fly over multiple air defense zones to reach their targets. Even with the help of the United States, it shows the loopholes in Russian air defense.
Of course, this level of attack by the Ukrainian army can only be regarded as harassment at most, and it will not have a substantial impact on the war situation. According to the American think tank, what really affects the war process is how Ukraine gets external support and how to integrate mobilized soldiers with Russia.
What really deserves vigilance is that this kind of attack reflects the escalating competition between the two sides on the battlefield, which makes the hope of solving the problem through negotiation dim. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Luzin said in an interview with Tass news agency that Russia will not reject the option of a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis, but will not negotiate the conditions proposed by Kiev. He said that the current situation is that any prediction of the end time of the Ukrainian crisis may be untenable and military confrontation is long-term.