Explosions Hit Military Bases Deep Inside Russia As Ukraine Hints At Long-Range Strikes

Explosions hit two air bases deep inside Russia on Monday, including one that houses a key component of Russia’s nuclear deterrent, as Ukraine has hinted at the ability to hit long-range targets, according to The Wall Street Journal.

A fuel tanker exploded at an air base outside of Moscow, killing three, while explosions also racked the Engels military base in Russia’s Saratov region and damaged two of Russia’s nuclear-capable strategic bombers, the WSJ reported. While Ukrainian officials did not acknowledge responsibility for the strikes, in character with previous approaches toward strikes crossing into Russian territory, the strikes could indicate expanded Ukrainian ability to hit long-range targets.

“If something is launched into other countries’ airspace, sooner or later unknown flying objects will return to departure point,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said in a statement, the WSJ reported.

The targets were located at least 300 miles beyond Russia’s borders, according to the WSJ.

Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported the explosions at the Ryazan airbase southeast of Moscow but did not specify what caused the explosion, the WSJ reported.