Blasts reported at Engels air base deep inside Russia - online media - Reuters

Dec 26 (Reuters) - Blasts were heard astatine Russia's Engels aerial base, hundreds of kilometres (miles) from the frontlines successful Ukraine, Ukrainian and Russian media outlets reported aboriginal connected Monday.

There was nary contiguous authoritative confirmation of the blasts and Reuters was not capable to independently verify the reports.

The RBC-Ukraine quality bureau reported that 2 explosions took place.

The Russian quality outlet Baza reported, citing section residents, that aerial raid sirens were wailing and an detonation was heard.

The aerial base, adjacent the metropolis of Saratov, astir 730 km (450 miles) southeast of Moscow, was deed connected Dec. 5 successful what Russia said was Ukrainian drone attacks connected 2 Russian aerial bases that day.

The duplicate strikes dealt Moscow a large reputational stroke and raised questions astir wherefore its defences failed, analysts said, arsenic attraction turned to the usage of drones successful the warfare betwixt neighbours.

Ukraine has ne'er publically claimed work for attacks wrong Russia, but has said, however, that specified incidents are "karma" for Russia's invasion.

Reporting successful Melbourne by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Michael Perry

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