Ukrainian forces struck multiple Russian airfields and military facilities overnight on June 6, hours before Russia launched one of its heaviest aerial assaults of the war, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported.

Ukrainian strikes reportedly targeted Engels and Dyagilevo airfields — two key hubs for Russia's long-range bomber fleet, as well as logistics sites in Russia's Kursk Oblast.

Hours after the strikes, Russia attacked Ukraine with 452 drones and 45 missiles, killing at least five people and injuring 73 in one of the largest attacks of the full-scale war.

Engels-2 air base, located in Saratov Oblast, nearly 600 kilometers (370 miles) from Ukraine's front lines, hosts Russia's Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 bombers — aircraft regularly used in missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine's General Staff said a strike ignited large fires at the facility, hitting at least three fuel tanks. Footage and local reports confirmed a significant blaze and numerous explosions in the area.

Saratov Governor Roman Busargin acknowledged a fire at an unspecified "industrial enterprise" and damage from drones to a residential building. No casualties were reported.

The Dyagilevo airfield in Ryazan Oblast, home to air refueling tankers and bomber escort fighters, was also targeted. The General Staff reported fire damage in the area, with Russian air defense activity and explosions recorded. Results of the strike are still being assessed.

Ukraine also claims to have struck a logistics center tied to the 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment of Russia's 72nd Division near Kulbaki in Kursk Oblast.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that 174 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight across 12 regions of Russia and occupied Crimea.

"Strikes on military infrastructure will continue until the Russian Federation's armed aggression against Ukraine is completely stopped," Ukraine's General Staff said.

The latest wave of Ukrainian strikes underscores Kyiv's evolving long-range strike capability, as well as its efforts to preemptively degrade Russian assets used in air assaults.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on June 1 launched Operation Spiderweb, a daring mass drone attack that damaged 41 Russian heavy bombers at four key airfields throughout the country.

The operation reportedly targeted A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22 M3 planes parked at the Belaya, Diaghilev, Olenya, and Ivanovo air bases, causing approximately $7 billion in damage.

Russia plans to occupy Ukraine east of Dnipro, cut Black Sea access, Ukrainian official says

“Unfortunately, they are not speaking about peace. They are preparing for war,” President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Deputy Chief of Staff Pavlo Palisa said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Ukraine has resumed targeting Russian fuel infrastructure after a months-long pause, hitting the Engels oil depot used by strategic bombers, involved in last night’s deadly missile strikes against Ukraine, while drone attacks continued across other military airfields and industrial defense sites in at least six Russian oblasts overnight on 6 June.

Engels fuel depot set ablaze again as Ukraine resumes strikes on oil facilities

Overnight on 6 June, Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack on the Kristall oil depot in the city of Engels, Saratov Oblast, situated more than 600 km from Ukraine. The site supplies fuel to the Engels-2 air base, home to Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers used by Russia to fire cruise missiles on Ukraine.

The attack triggered a massive fire. Telegram channels, including Russian Astra and Ukrainian sources, published videos showing at least three fuel tanks on fire, with large flames and thick smoke rising from the site.

According to Astra, the strike was carried out using drones and caused a fire at the industrial fuel storage facility. NASA’s FIRMS wildfire detection satellites identified thermal anomalies at the facility.

Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin confirmed a fire had broken out at “one of the industrial enterprises in Engels” following a drone strike but did not identify the specific site. Social media users shared additional footage showing the scale of the blaze.

The Engels depot itself had previously been targeted twice in January 2025.

• The first attack, on 8 January, destroyed three fuel tanks of 120,000 cubic meters each and damaged six more, resulting in the loss of an estimated 800,000 tons of fuel.
• A second drone strike occurred on 14 January, while the fire from the first attack was still burning. 

UK intel: Ukraine’s Engels-2 airbase strike marks 2025’s most successful ammo depot attack yet

Explosions and fires at multiple Russian airbases and military areas

Explosions and fires were reported overnight across various Russian locations hosting airfields or military infrastructure, though specific confirmed damage varied by site.

• Bryansk Oblast: Explosions were heard near the airport in Bryansk around midnight. Videos shared on social media captured a large blast, similar to an explosion of surface-to-air missiles, and of secondary blasts following the initial impacts. Astra reported the area was targeted by Ukraine’s defense forces.

• Ryazan Oblast: Local residents reported drone activity and fires in the Dyagilevo district, home to the Dyagilevo air base. A separate fire was also reported in the vicinity of the village of Podvyazye after what was described as a drone attack.

• Tambov Oblast: Telegram channel Supernova+ shared footage from Michurinsk and reported that drones struck the Progress plant there, which manufactures equipment for aircraft and missile control systems, as well as for gas and oil pipeline infrastructure. According to Exilenova, the strike hit the central workshop, leading to a roof collapse. Images showed fire damage and signs of electronic warfare systems operating at the time of the strike.

• Moscow Oblast: Readers of Astra from Naro-Fominsk reported explosions. Russia’s aviation authority Rosaviatsia imposed temporary flight restrictions at Domodedovo and Zhukovsky (Ramenskoye) airports “to ensure civilian flight safety.” Those restrictions were later lifted. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that six drones targeting the Russian capital were destroyed. He later claimed that an additional three drones aimed at the Moscow region were also intercepted.

• Kaluga Oblast: The oblast’s governor stated that five drones were shot down near the border of Obninsk and Borovsky Raion. One drone’s debris fell on a roadway, damaging four vehicles. No serious injuries were reported among the passengers.

Unconfirmed rail sabotage: train derailment in Belgorod 

In Belgorod Oblast, a reserve locomotive derailed in Prokhorovsky Raion. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed the likely cause was the detonation of an explosive device planted under the tracks. No casualties occurred. Train traffic was delayed by approximately 2.5 hours, but all services have since resumed. Track repair work began shortly after the incident. There is no confirmation that this was not an incident.

Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

An oil refinery in the city of Engels in Russia's Saratov Oblast was engulfed in flames after an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on June 6, Russian officials and media outlets reported.

Ukraine has previously targeted the Kristal Plant, an oil refinery in Engels that supplies fuel to Russia's Engels-2 military airfield. The airfield is one of the country's key strategic military bases. It hosts long-range bombers, including the nuclear-capable Tu-95 and Tu-160 aircraft.

Residents shared footage of major fires breaking out in Engels following a drone attack, according to the independent Russian Telegram news channel Astra. Locals reported that the refinery was under attack and that a residential building had been hit.

The Saratov airport imposed restrictions due to the drone threat, according to Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya).

Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin claimed that a fire had broken out at an unspecified "industrial enterprise" and that emergency responders had been dispatched to the scene. He also said drones caused damage to a residential building. No casualties were reported.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that 174 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight, targeting 12 regions within Russia as well as Russian-occupied Crimea.

The Kyiv Independent could not confirm these claims.

The reported drone attack comes after a series of major Ukrainian strikes against military targets inside Russia.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on June 1 launched Operation Spiderweb, a daring mass drone attack that damaged 41 Russian heavy bombers at four key airfields throughout the country. The operation reportedly targeted A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22 M3 planes parked at the Belaya, Diaghilev, Olenya, and Ivanovo air bases, causing approximately $7 billion in damage.

In the following days, Ukraine carried out strikes against Russia's Crimean Bridge, a military base in distant Vladivostok,  and a missile base in Bryansk Oblast.

Located in Russia's Saratov Oblast, around 600 kilometers (370 miles) from the front lines in Ukraine, the Engels-2 base has been a frequent target of Ukrainian strikes since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. The airfield houses three types of strategic bombers regularly used in missile attacks on Ukraine: the Tu-95, Tu-22, and Tu-160.

An attack against the air base on March 20 destroyed 96 air-launched cruise missiles, according to Ukraine's General Staff.

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine strikes Russian missile base in Bryansk Oblast, damages Iskander launchers; Trump dismisses timeline to impose Russian sanctions

Key developments on June 5: * Ukraine strikes Russian missile base in Bryansk Oblast, damages Iskander launchers, Ukrainian military says * ‘Deadline is in my brain’ — Trump dismisses timeline to impose Russian sanctions * ‘Not destroyed but damaged’ — Russia claims it will repair bombers struck in Operation Spiderweb * Trump privately praises Ukraine’s drone

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Flight restrictions have been introduced at airports in the Russian cities of Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov, and Tambov amid the threat of drone attacks, Artyom Korenyako, a spokesperson for Russia's state aviation agency Rosaviatsia, said on May 27.

"To ensure the safety of civil aircraft flights, temporary restrictions on their entry and exit have also been introduced," Korenyako said in a Telegram post.

As Russia continues its war, Ukraine regularly strikes military facilities deep within Russian territory to minimize Moscow's ability to wage its war.

Earlier on May 27, the Russian aviation agency said it imposed flight restrictions at Kaluga's airport.

Air defenses "have detected and destroyed" several drones, Alexander Gusev, Voronezh Oblast Governor, said.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

The threat of drone attacks was declared in Russia's Tula, Lipetsk, Samara, and Voronezh oblasts by Russian authorities.

On May 23, Russian authorities were forced to shut down airports in Moscow amid a barrage of Ukrainian drone strikes overnight.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on May 26 said Ukraine's Western partners are no longer imposing any range restrictions on weapons delivered to Kyiv for use against Russian military targets.

"There are no longer any restrictions on the range of weapons delivered to Ukraine — neither by the U.K., France, nor us. There are no restrictions by the U.S. either," Merz said.

"This means that Ukraine can now defend itself, for example, by attacking military positions in Russia," the chancellor said, adding that, "Until recently, it couldn’t do that, and apart from very few exceptions, it hadn’t done so either."

Ukraine war latest: West no longer imposing range restrictions on arms for Ukraine, Germany’s Merz says

Key developments on May 26: * West no longer imposing range restrictions on arms for Ukraine, Germany’s Merz says * Russia launches record 355 drones at Ukraine; 6 killed, 24 injured over past 24 hours * Russian drone production site, chemical plant targeted in alleged Ukrainian drone strike * Netherlands to send last of

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk