Ukraine said it destroyed a Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber during an operation at Engels Air Base in the Saratov region, one of Russia’s main long-range aviation centers.
The announcement was made this Friday (17) by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who attributed the operation to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
According to Zelensky, the aircraft was used by Russia to launch cruise missiles against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. The president said the operation represented another blow to Russia’s military capabilities and praised the work of the country’s security forces.
“I am grateful to our warriors for their accuracy. Once again, there have been successful long-range sanctions against Russia for this war,” Zelensky wrote on his official X account.
Engels Air Base hosts part of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet, including the Tu-95 and Tu-160, which are used in long-range missions. The site has been targeted by Ukrainian attacks on other occasions and is considered one of Moscow’s most important military assets.
So far, the Russian Ministry of Defense has not confirmed the destruction of the aircraft.
In recent months, Ukraine has intensified attacks using drones and other long-range weapons against military facilities inside Russian territory in an attempt to reduce Moscow’s ability to carry out strikes against the country.
I am grateful to our warriors for their accuracy. Once again, there have been successful long-range sanctions against Russia for this war. In particular, the Security Service of Ukraine destroyed a Tu-95 military aircraft in Engels that had been used for Russian missile strikes… pic.twitter.com/7nF3BTBzLL
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 17, 2026
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Source: X @ZelenskyyUa. Photos: Wikimedia | Russian Ministry of Defense. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
