Three Russian military personnel have been reported to have died at the Engels military airbase in Russia miles away from the frontlines in Ukraine. Reports emerged stating that the soldiers died after wreckage from a shot-down Ukrainian drone fell onto the airbase which is situated hundreds of miles from the frontlines.
A Russian defence ministry spokesman said: “A Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down at low altitude while approaching the Engels military airfield in the Saratov region
“As a result of the fall of the wreckage of the drone, three Russian servicemen of the technical staff who were at the airfield were fatally wounded.”
The Russian defence ministry has claimed no aviation equipment at the base was damaged in the explosions.
Following the incident, Russian officials denied reports that there had been a threat to residents living near the base.
Saratov governor Roman Busargin said on Telegram: “There is absolutely no threat to residents…Civil infrastructure facilities were not damaged.
“Information about the incident at a military facility is being check by law enforcement agencies.”
According to Ukrainian news outlet RBC-Ukraine, two explosions were heard and air raid sirens began to sound, local residents told Russian media.
The airbase is located 450 miles southeast of Moscow and was previously hit on December 5.
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As a result of the two attacks in early December, Russia was accused of having poor defences.
Ukraine launched missiles at targets in the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol two weeks ago in the southeast of the country, Reuters reported, citing reports by pro-Russian authorities.
The attack killed two people and injured 10.
The report also cited Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky, as saying that the city, a major transportation and industrial hub, is critical to the defence of southern Ukraine.