Russia Constructs 16 New Shelters for Strategic Bombers at Engels-2 Air Base to Counter Ukrainian Drone Strikes

Russia is building 16 large aircraft shelters at its Engels-2 air base in the Saratov region, a move seen as an effort to protect its strategic bombers from Ukrainian drone attacks. Satellite imagery from October 12 shows the nearly completed steel frameworks for the first three shelters. The base, located approximately 600 kilometers from the Ukrainian front line, houses Tu-160 and Tu-95MS bombers, which are used to launch cruise missiles against Ukraine and have been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian long-range drones since December 2022.