Russia shoots down Ukrainian drone near its Engels airbase

Engels is in Russia’s Saratov region on the Volga River, over 370 miles east of the border with Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers fire a French-made Caesar self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions near Avdiivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Monday, December 26 2022 (Libkos/AP)

The Russian military said it has shot down a Ukrainian drone approaching an airbase deep inside Russia – the second time the facility has been targeted this month.

Debris killed three servicemen at the Engels airbase, which houses Tu-95 and Tu-160 nuclear-capable strategic bombers, which have launched strikes on Ukraine in the 10-month war, Russia’s Defence Ministry said.