Ukraine’s military has claimed responsibility for a dramatic drone strike on a fuel depot supporting Russia’s Engels 2 military airfield, home to its strategic bomber fleet. The attack occurred overnight in the city of Engels, approximately 400 miles from the Ukrainian border, causing a massive fire at the Kombinat Kristall oil depot and dealing a significant logistical blow to Russian forces.
Images verified by CNN showed towering flames and thick smoke billowing from the depot early Wednesday. Ukrainian officials described the attack as a key disruption to Russian logistics, stating that it would “significantly reduce their ability to strike at peaceful Ukrainian cities and civilian objects.”
A Shift in the Air War
The Engels 2 airfield is a crucial base for Russia’s long-range strategic bombers, which have been used to launch strikes against Ukraine since the start of the war in 2022. While Russia claimed its air defenses intercepted 23 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 11 over Saratov, Ukraine reported “numerous explosions” in the area, suggesting that at least some drones evaded interception.
Long-range drone warfare has become a defining aspect of Ukraine’s strategy as the conflict nears its third year. Kyiv has increasingly used domestically produced drones to target Russian logistics, military stockpiles, and oil facilities deep inside Russian territory. Oleksandr Kamyshin, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, confirmed that the drones used in the Engels attack were made in Ukraine.
Escalation on Multiple Fronts
While Ukraine targeted Engels 2, Russia launched its own wave of 64 drones against Ukraine overnight. According to Ukraine’s air force, 41 of these drones were shot down, while 22 others failed to reach their targets. These exchanges underline the growing intensity of aerial warfare, as both sides seek to gain the upper hand before a potential shift in U.S. policy under Donald Trump’s incoming administration.
Ground Campaign Updates
The aerial conflict coincides with intensified fighting on the ground. Russia claimed it had captured the town of Kurakhove in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Monday, but Kyiv disputed the assertion, stating battles were ongoing as of Tuesday. Meanwhile, Ukraine has renewed its offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, where it secured territory in a surprise incursion last summer. On Tuesday, Ukraine reported striking a Russian command post near the town of Belaya as clashes continued in the area.
Strategic Implications
The Engels 2 attack is significant not only for its immediate disruption to Russia’s bomber fleet but also for its broader strategic implications. The operation demonstrates Ukraine’s growing capability to strike deep into Russian territory, a tactic that Moscow has struggled to counter consistently. With the war evolving into a prolonged, attritional struggle, such strikes serve as a reminder of Kyiv’s determination to keep pressure on Russia, even as Western leaders debate the future of military aid and diplomatic solutions.
As the world watches, both Ukraine and Russia appear to be preparing for a new phase of the war, one that could be influenced heavily by the return of Donald Trump to the White House. His stated ambition to end the war within 24 hours has added urgency to the calculations of both sides, though what such an effort would entail remains unclear.
The destruction at Engels 2 raises questions about Russia’s ability to sustain its campaign of airstrikes and underlines Ukraine’s willingness to escalate its targeting of critical Russian infrastructure. For now, the war shows no sign of abating, with both sides doubling down on their respective strategies as 2025 begins.
