Ukraine launched a surprise attack on an airbase deep inside Russian territory overnight, according to officials. The strike came hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky accepted the Kremlin’s offer to pause attacks on energy targets for 30 days.
Russia’s defense ministry said it shot down 54 Ukrainian drones in the Saratov region, where the Engels airbase is located. The base hosts some of Russia’s nuclear-capable bombers and has been a target for Ukraine in recent months.
Video footage shared by witnesses showed an explosion and a large plume of smoke at the airfield, with loud secondary explosions afterwards. At least one strike targeted a warehouse area, described as a storage facility for weapons.
The governor of Saratov region said civilians living near the airbase were being evacuated due to a fire on the base. About 30 houses were damaged overnight.
Russia also carried out further strikes on Ukraine, with its air force reporting that it launched 171 drones, 63 of which were shot down by air defenses. At least five people were killed and 26 injured across the country.
The large-scale drone attack hit Odesa, with reports indicating three people were injured, including a child. Civilian infrastructure was also damaged in the city.
Despite agreeing to temporarily stop targeting each other’s energy infrastructure, details of when this pause will go into effect remain unclear. The Trump administration is working to hammer out the details of a partial ceasefire.
Ukraine and Russia will meet with US officials separately in Saudi Arabia early next week to discuss the cease-fire. Ukraine will also send a technical team to Saudi Arabia for meetings with US officials on Monday.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/world/europe/ukraine-attacks-russia-airbase-engels-drones.html