Three military servicemembers were killed when a Ukrainian drone was shot down as it approached an air base deep in Russian territory, Russia’s military reported Monday.
Four others were wounded in the incident and a fire was ignited by the falling shrapnel, according to Russia’s Baza news outlet.
It’s the second time this month that the Engels air base has been targeted by Ukraine.
The base, which houses two nuclear-capable strategic bombers that have launched strikes on Ukraine, is located in an area more than 600 kilometers (370 miles) east of the Russia-Ukraine border, in the Saratov region on the Volga River.
No Russian aircraft were damaged in the incident, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin maintained on Sunday that he is willing to negotiate with Ukraine over a way to end the war started by Moscow on February 24. US and Ukrainian officials have dismissed his claim as lip service, however.
At the same time Putin was making the statement, Ukraine was hit with two nationwide air raid alerts, although no strikes were reported.
But one day earlier, at least 10 people were killed and dozens more were injured, including 18 in critical condition, in Russian air strikes targeting residential and administrative buildings in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson.
The city, liberated from the Russians last month, has frequently been targeted in Russian attacks since that time.
