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Russia has become more cautious in using its Engels strategic air base following successful long-range Ukrainian strikes that damaged aircraft and military infrastructure, according to Ukrainian defense industry expert Valerii Borovyk.
Speaking to FREEДOM, Borovyk, founder of the defense manufacturing company First Contact and a combat veteran, said Ukraine’s deep-strike campaign has reduced the concentration of strategic bombers at the air base, UATV English reports.
“Russian forces are still using Engels, but much more cautiously than before our long-range strikes destroyed Russian aircraft. It is no longer the massive concentration of Tu-95 bombers and other strategic aviation assets that it once was,” Borovyk said.
He argued that repeated Ukrainian attacks have forced Russia to disperse its long-range aviation fleet and reconsider where it bases strategic aircraft used in missile strikes against Ukraine.
According to Borovyk, despite Russian efforts to strengthen the air base’s defenses, Ukraine has continued to penetrate those defenses and successfully strike high-value military targets.
“The importance of this air base and the aircraft stationed there for Russia is enormous. The more we demonstrate our ability to precisely strike these assets and disable or destroy them, the more difficult it becomes for the enemy to find alternative airfields for deploying its strategic aviation,” he said.
Borovyk added that while Russia still has other airfields capable of hosting strategic bombers, relocating aircraft to those bases would simply create new targets for future Ukrainian long-range strikes.
His comments come as Ukraine continues expanding its campaign against Russian military airfields, fuel depots and logistics infrastructure deep inside Russian territory in an effort to reduce Moscow’s ability to conduct long-range missile attacks.
