It is just 150 miles from Moscow that Vladimir Putin has been directly affected by two explosions at major Russian military bases deep inside Russia.
According to a senior Ukrainian official, the explosions were caused by unmanned drone strikes, and Ukraine intended to strike fear into the heart of Russia.
Over the last month, Tu-95 bombers have been pummeling Ukraine’s infrastructure from the Engels-2 base.
There are no known missiles in Ukraine’s possession that can reach Engels and Ryazan, according to the Times.
Three people were killed and half a dozen injured when a fuel truck exploded near Ryazan, damaging Tu-95 bombers and Tu-22M long-range missile bombers with nuclear capability.
A video posted on social media suggests that a fighter jet or missile whistle can be heard just before the explosion at Saratov base.
There were explosions heard in Crimea on Monday afternoon, suggesting a coordinated attack.
At a Monday briefing, Kremlin spokeswoman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin had been informed of the “situation” but did not speculate on who might be behind it, saying that he had only “read about it” in the media.
Later, the Kremlin confirmed intercepting the drones, as well as the deaths of three servicemen and damage to two planes caused by the “fall and explosion of the wreckage.”
Almost immediately after reports, air raid sirens across Ukraine heralded a barrage of missile strikes, many of which targeted Zaporizhzhia, where missiles destroyed several residential buildings, killing at least two people. After Russian strikes, many cities reported no electricity or water.
On Telegram, Roman Busargin, governor of the Saratov region, where Engels-2 is located, wrote that authorities were investigating incidents at military bases, adding, “No emergencies have been reported in residential areas.”
On Telegram, Ukrainian interior minister Anton Gerashchenko posted images of the explosions, suggesting they were keeping a close eye on them. According to Gerashchenko, Ukrainian energy infrastructure was to be bombed again this morning by planes based at Engels and Ryazan airfields.
The compounding losses of Russia are Ukraine’s gain, according to other officials. The Earth is round, a discovery made by Galileo. In the Kremlin, astronomy was not studied, giving preference to court astrologers, according to Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to Volodymyr Zelensky. “If it were, they would know: if something were launched into another country’s airspace, it will return to its departure point sooner or later.”