Russia is building shelters for strategic bombers at the Engels Air Base
Satellite images show that, amid Ukrainian strikes, Russia has begun large-scale construction of protective shelters for Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic bombers at the Engels Air Base.
Russia has begun large-scale construction of extensive protective shelters for strategic bombers at the Engels Air Base in the Saratov region. This may indicate a shift in Moscow’s approach to protecting its most expensive aircraft following a series of Ukrainian strikes on Russian military facilities.
According to the publication, satellite images from June 20, 2026, show large-scale construction work at the airbase. The author estimates that at least 17 shelters are being built on the site, designed to house Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers.
Previously, Russia used other methods to protect its aircraft, including blast-resistant partitions between planes, decommissioned equipment as decoys, and placing tires on aircraft fuselages. Silhouettes of aircraft painted on concrete were also used, but these measures did not provide physical protection.
The new shelters at Engels Air Base indicate a shift in the approach to operating strategic aviation, which previously remained largely in open parking areas. According to the author’s assessment, even relatively lightweight structures can provide protection against drones and make it more difficult to conduct reconnaissance and strike targets.
Construction of such structures began following a series of Ukrainian attacks on Russian air bases, which demonstrated the vulnerability of strategic aviation to strikes by drones and missiles, TWZ reports.
As a reminder, in the Zaporizhzhia sector, drone operators from the Main Intelligence Directorate destroyed a Russian “Pantsir-S2” anti-aircraft missile and gun system that the occupiers had attempted to hide in an underground shelter.
Russia may attempt to re-enter Ukrainian territory from Belarus if it can mobilize approximately 70,000 troops for this purpose.
