Russia says it shot down Ukrainian drone near airbase
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Russian military reported on Monday that it shot down a Ukrainian drone approaching an airbase deep inside Russia, the second time the facility has been targeted this month — raising questions about the effectiveness of Russia’s air defenses if drones can fly that far into the country.
Russia's Defense Ministry said the incident took place in the early hours of Monday, and three servicemen were killed by debris at the Engels airbase, which houses Tu-95 and Tu-160 nuclear-capable strategic bombers that have been involved in launching strikes on Ukraine in the 10-month-old war.
Engels is located in Russia's Saratov region on the Volga river, more than 600 kilometers (more than 370 miles) east of the border with Ukraine.
No damage was inflicted on Russian aircraft, the ministry said.
Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat, speaking to Ukrainian television on Monday, didn't directly acknowledge his country's involvement in Monday's incident, but said: “These are the consequences of Russian aggression."
He added: "If the Russians thought that the war wouldn't affect them deep behind their lines, they were deeply mistaken”
Ukrainian officials have never confirmed sending drones into Russia. They have maintained ambiguity over previous high-profile attacks, including drone strikes on Russian military bases earlier this month.
On Dec. 5, unprecedented drone strikes on Engels and the Dyagilevo base in the Ryazan region in western Russia killed a total of three servicemen and wounded four others. The strikes on the airbases were followed by a massive retaliatory missile barrage in Ukraine that struck homes and buildings and killed civilians.
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