US President Donald Trump’s calls to Ukrainian and Russian leaders have sparked hope for an “energy and infrastructure” ceasefire, potentially offering relief from missile and drone attacks on power plants and oil facilities. However, the proposed ceasefire is not yet official.
Russia’s Engels air base, home to bombers launching missiles at Ukrainian cities, was targeted by Ukraine for the third time in 10 weeks, with explosions and smoke billowing into the sky. The base hosts Russia’s Tupolev Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers, which regularly launch attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Ukraine has carried out a series of drone raids on Engels, including two strikes in January that caused significant damage to fuel depots. These attacks aim to weaken Russia’s ability to wage war against Ukraine by targeting its energy infrastructure.
If a ceasefire is agreed upon, Ukraine could shift its focus from attacking oil refineries and pumping stations to targeting Russian bombers, which are slowly bleeding the Ukrainian economy with their attacks on power plants. However, experts warn that a ceasefire might not stop Ukraine’s campaign of deep strikes entirely, as the country has expanded its capabilities and identified military targets worthy of repeated strikes.
Ukraine has developed a range of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, including modified sport planes capable of delivering hundreds of pounds of explosives over 800 miles. A potential ceasefire could limit Ukraine’s options but might not halt its campaign of deep strikes altogether.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/03/20/ukraine-triple-taps-russias-engels-bomber-base