Zelensky Says Ukraine Destroys Russian Tu-95 Bomber At Engels Airbase

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing Reuters and Xinhua, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine used drones to strike the Engels airbase in Russia's Saratov region and destroyed a Tu-95 strategic bomber, with the base located about 800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Zelensky said on Friday, July 17, in a post on X that Russian forces had used the aircraft to launch missile attacks on Ukraine. He said Ukraine was carrying out what he called a just and active self-defense. Separately, Xinhua quoted Ukraine's Security Service as saying initial information indicated the strategic bomber was severely damaged and that its tail section had completely fallen off. The service said the attack was carried out to fulfill Zelensky's recent order to weaken Russia's military and economic potential, and that Russian strategic bombers were no longer safe even at the most remote military airfields.