(LONDON) — Russian authorities reported a “massive” Ukrainian drone attack on the Engels airbase in Saratov Oblast overnight, with Russia’s Defense Ministry claiming to have downed 54 drones over the area.
“Saratov and Engels today suffered the most massive UAV attack of all time,” Roman Busargin, the governor of Saratov region, wrote on Telegram. He reported a fire burning at the airfield and damage to around 30 houses in the area.
Windows were also blown out at a nearby hospital — where one woman was injured — as well as two kindergartens and a school, Busargin wrote.
The Ukrainian military’s General Staff claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media post, saying the operation was a collaboration with the Security Service of Ukraine and the country’s Special Operations Forces. “Fire, explosions and secondary detonation of ammunition were recorded in the area of the airport,” it said.
“This military facility is used by occupiers’ aviation, in particular, to launch missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine and terrorist attacks against civilians,” the statement said. “To be continued,” it added.
Engels — situated more than 465 miles from the Ukrainian border — is a major strategic bomber base, from which Russian aircraft have launched long-range missile strikes through the 3-year-old war. It has been attacked several times by Ukraine, most recently in January.
Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the Counter-Disinformation Center operating as part of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, posted a purported video of the attack to Telegram, showing what appeared to be a burning fire in the dark of night. “Russian Engels,” Kovalenko wrote.
Video footage shot from a high-rise apartment in Engels circulating online also showed a large plume of smoke rising from the direction of the airbase.
Kovalenko said the strike destroyed missile stocks, including those of the Kh-101 cruise missile “The number will be known later,” he wrote. “This airfield stores the largest number of missiles used by strategic aviation for strikes on Ukraine.”
In total, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have downed 132 Ukrainian drones over seven Russian or Russian-controlled regions on Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
Ukrainian authorities, meanwhile, reported a major Russian overnight bombardment of the central city of Kropyvnytskyi, with more than 30 explosions reported.
The regional governor also said Russia launched a “massive” attack on the eastern city of Kupyansk, close to the front line. At least 20 bombs were dropped on the city in a matter of hours, they said, with at least one person killed and another wounded.
Ukraine’s air force said Russian launched 171 drones in the country overnight, 75 of which were shot down and 63 lost in flight without causing damage. “Kirovohrad, Sumy, and Donetsk regions were affected by the Russian attack, ” the air force said.
“Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, despite its propaganda statements, do not stop,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. “With each such launch, the Russians show the world their true attitude to peace. “
The latest exchange of attacks came just after President Donald Trump spoke with Zelenskyy, the latter agreeing to a proposed 30-day ceasefire on attacks against energy and infrastructure targets, which was also approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
The partial ceasefire is intended as a springboard for a broader pause in fighting and eventual peace deal, American officials have said.
Trump described the call as “very good” in a post to Truth Social. “Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs,” he said.
“We are very much on track,” Trump added.
But long-range attacks by both sides have continued throughout the most recent round of negotiations.
“This is what Putin’s ceasefire looks like,” Andriy Yermak — the head of Zelenskyy’s office — wrote on Telegram alongside a photo of the aftermath of Russia’s overnight attack on Kropyvnytskyi.
“Russia takes great pleasure in attacking civilians,” he added.
ABC News’ Tanya Stukalova, Will Gretsky, Kelsey Walsh, Max Uzol and Helena Skinner contributed to this report.
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