Russia shields Su-34s at Engels base amid threat of ATACMS strikes
Photo: Nine Su-34s were spotted at the air base (t.me/ressentimentchannel)
Russia has positioned a significant number of Su-34 frontline bombers at the Engels-2 airbase, a site located outside the range of American ATACMS ballistic missiles, according to Defence Express.
These conclusions are based on fresh satellite images from December 7, 2024, published by OSINT expert MT_Anderson on their social media platform X.
Engels-2 Air Base
— MT Anderson (@MT_Anderson) December 7, 2024
50cm from 7 December 2024, 11:31 UTC
First time since the full scale invasion started that I've seen a substantial presence of fighters at Engels-2
Appears to be 9x Su-34 & 2x Su-27/30 (experts?)
A few Tu-95 & Tu-160 along with the decoys also visible pic.twitter.com/F6IEAC2ewA
The images reveal a range of aviation equipment currently stationed at the airbase. This includes two actual Tu-160 strategic bombers and one decoy or mock-up. Four real Tu-95MS aircraft and three mock-up models or drawings were also observed.
The photos also show three military transport aircraft: one An-12 and two Il-76. However, the most notable detail is the presence of nine Su-34 frontline bombers. Two fighters, either Su-27 or Su-30 models, are also visible.
For comparison, in September this year, the Engels airbase hosted fewer aircraft, primarily bombers such as Tu-22, Tu-95, and Tu-160, along with what appeared to be the same An-12. Earlier, in March, the base was home to only Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers, with approximately eight aircraft in total.
Returning to the Su-34s, it is important to emphasize that Engels airbase is about 600 kilometers from Ukraine’s borders. This suggests Russia may have chosen this location as a base for its frontline bombers. Such a move is likely driven by the desire to secure its aviation assets after the United States authorized the use of long-range weaponry, including ATACMS missiles, for strikes on Russian territory.
Read more about how US approval to use long-range Western weapons against Russia benefits Ukraine in RBC-Ukraine’s detailed report.
