Ukraine war: Drone attack on Russian bomber base leaves three dead - BBC

A Ukrainian drone onslaught connected an airbase for bombers successful confederate Russia has near 3 radical dead, Moscow says.

Air defences changeable down the drone adjacent the Engels base, but falling debris fatally wounded 3 method staff, the defence ministry said.

Earlier this month, Russia accused Ukraine of a akin onslaught connected the airfield, location to bombers that person carried retired rocket attacks connected Ukraine.

The basal lies astir 650km (400 miles) north-east of Ukraine's border.

The Ukrainian subject did not officially admit to the latest attack, but aerial unit spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said the explosions were the effect of what Russia was doing connected Ukrainian soil.

Hours afterwards Russia's FSB information work announced it had killed a four-strong "sabotage group" trying to participate the Russian borderline portion of Bryansk from Ukraine equipped with improvised explosive devices and German-made submachine guns. The FSB released video of what it said was the "liquidation" of the group, though determination is nary autarkic confirmation of the incident.

The latest drone onslaught wrong Russia volition travel arsenic an embarrassment to Russian authorities, coming truthful soon aft the 2 5 December attacks hundreds of kilometres from the beforehand enactment - some astatine the Engels basal and successful the Ryazan region. At the clip Russia besides blamed falling debris for the deaths of 3 servicemen and what it described arsenic airy harm to 2 aircraft.

Social media aboriginal connected Monday posted videos of blasts and aerial sirens successful the vicinity of Engels airfield.

Russia's defence ministry said aboriginal that its aerial defences had changeable down the drone flying astatine debased altitude astatine astir 01:35 connected Monday (22:35 GMT Sunday).

Saratov politician Roman Busargin expressed his condolences to the men's families and friends, and said determination was "absolutely nary menace to residents" successful the municipality of Engels itself.

The Ukrainian aerial unit spokesperson said outer imagery of the airfield would soon uncover the afloat harm from Monday's attack, adding that earlier blasts had damaged craft astatine the base.

The Engels aerial basal has been repeatedly utilized by Russia to transportation retired rocket strikes connected assorted targets successful Ukraine since Moscow launched its full-scale penetration connected 24 February.

The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of attacking its territory before, but the latest incidents person taken spot acold deeper successful Russian territory.

After the 5 December attacks, determination were wide calls for tightened information astir Russian subject installations and the latest onslaught suggests that has not happened.

Separately connected Monday, Ukraine's overseas ministry demanded Russia's removal arsenic 1 of 5 imperishable members of the United Nations Security Council and called for its exclusion from the UN "as a whole".

There is presently nary wide mechanics to regenerate a imperishable Security Council member.

However, Ukraine argues that Russia illegally took implicit the aged USSR spot erstwhile the Soviet Union broke up successful 1991. Ukraine accuses Russia of abusing the veto powerfulness fixed to each assembly member, citing examples of Moscow blocking resolutions connected the Syria warfare and the downing of Malaysia Airlines formation MH17 successful Ukraine.