ISW: Russian milbloggers outraged by authorities' reaction to explosions at airport in Engels

Ukrainian strikes on legitimate military targets far in the Russian rear continue to be points of neuralgia for the Russian military blogger community. Russian sources began reporting explosions near the Engels Airbase in Saratov Oblast on the night of December 25 and the morning of December 26.

The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) stated that Russian air defence shot down a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was approaching the Engels airfield at low altitude and that the wreckage of the UAV killed three Russian servicemen, the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on December 27.

Several prominent Russian milbloggers latched onto the Russian MoD report on the incident as an opportunity to criticize domestic Russian air defence capabilities and question Russian authorities’ handling of and response to reported Ukrainian strikes deep in the Russian rear.

One Wagner Group-affiliated milblogger questioned why Russian air defence only “miraculously” prevents strikes “exactly above the airfield/military unit” and noted that the Engels airfield is 500km into Russian territory.

Former militant commander and prominent Russian milblogger Igor Girkin sarcastically congratulated Russian air defence for activating before striking the airbase and questioned why Russia is allowing Ukrainian drones so deep into its territory.

Several Russian milbloggers also criticized the technical capabilities of Russian air defence and electronic warfare systems and voiced their concern over Russian authorities’ inability to protect critical Russian infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

- Russian President Vladimir Putin did not offer to negotiate with Ukraine on December 25 contrary to some reporting.

- Putin is likely concerned over the lack of support for his war in Ukraine among elites and may be setting information conditions for the nationalization of their property.

- Ukrainian intelligence reported that a Wagner Group-linked Russian officer was appointed commander of the Russian Western Military District (WMD).

- Russian and Ukrainian forces continued offensive operations along the Svatove-Kreminna line.

- Ukrainian sources reported that Ukrainian troops are fighting near Kreminna.

- Russian sources claimed that Russian forces made limited gains northeast of Bakhmut.

- Russian forces continued ground attacks on the western outskirts of Donetsk City.

- Ukrainian military officials indicated that Russian forces may be concentrating some unspecified forces for offensive or demonstration operations in Zaporizhia Oblast and that Russian forces are attempting to conduct small-scale r- econnaissance-in-force operations to reach right-bank Kherson Oblast.

- Russian officials and nationalists began to criticize the Kremlin’s lenient migration and passportization policies for Central Asian migrants.

- Russia is continuing efforts to consolidate control of occupied territories in Ukraine through the manipulation of citizenship procedures.