Engels oil depot targeted: General Staff confirmed
Photo: Defense Forces hit oil depot in Engels (x com VictorKvert200)
Ukraine's Defense Forces attacked an oil storage facility in Russia’s Engels on January 8. The base supplied fuel to the Engels-2 military airfield, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
Ukrainian forces targeted the Crystal Plant oil storage facility in Engels, Saratov region. Numerous explosions and large-scale fires were reported in the area. Local authorities confirmed the strike on an "industrial facility."
According to the General Staff, the oil depot provided fuel for the Engels-2 military airfield, where the enemy's strategic aviation was based.
The operation involved units from the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense and the UAV Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in coordination with other components of the Defense Forces.
"The strike on the oil depot creates significant logistical challenges for the strategic aviation of the Russian occupiers and substantially reduces their capacity to launch attacks on peaceful Ukrainian cities and civilian facilities," the statement read.
Photo: Engels on the map (screenshot google.com/maps)
Engels-2 airfield
Engels-2 airfield is located near the city of Engels in the Saratov region. The distance from this airfield to the nearest Ukraine-controlled territory is about 700 kilometers.
Engels-2 is considered one of Russia's largest air bases. It houses strategic bombers, including the Tu-95MS and Tu-160.
Previously, this airbase was also attacked by Ukrainian special forces. On December 5, 2022, two Tu-95MS aircraft were damaged following explosions. According to the Ministry of Defense’s Intelligence Directorate, the airbase was attacked using Tu-141 Strizh drones filled with explosives.
Nighttime attack on Engels
On the night of January 8, explosions occurred in Engels, Saratov region. The governor of Saratov region, Roman Busargin, reported a drone attack, stating that an industrial enterprise had been damaged.
Footage of a massive fire was published online. Russian social media channels reported that an oil storage facility at the airbase had been hit.
According to Defense Express, the Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers based in Engels use a special type of fuel, T-8V. Analysts note that if the attack managed to destroy storage tanks with this fuel, it could potentially landed the Tu-160 bombers to some extent.
