Tu-160 flights are on the brink of failure as the Ukrainian Armed Forces have deprived enemy aviation of its rare fuel supply.

The first strike of the year on Engels occurred on January 8 — Ukrainian drones hit fuel tanks near the Russian Aerospace Forces airbase, and six days later, on January 14, they launched another attack on this facility.

The explosions ignited a fire at a large warehouse containing 800,000 tons of aviation fuel, and the subsequent strike set ablaze several more tanks. Such actions by the Ukrainian military resemble the "double strike" tactic, according to Forbes journalist David Ex.

"The Ukrainian attack was part of a broader wave of drone raids, the largest in the 35-month war over Ukraine. Its key targets are fuel and ammunition depots, as well as oil refineries, among other objectives. This 'double strike' had a clear aim — to deter Russian air raids on Ukrainian cities, at least temporarily," the analyst emphasizes.

However, according to military expert Pavel Narozhny, the Ukrainian strike on Engels has already yielded results.

The reduction in the number of munitions needed for the effective operation of Russian aviation is a crucial factor. According to Narozhny, each destroyed depot translates to a week of operations for Russian aircraft. Although Russia utilizes several airfields, it still affects their logistics and forces them to make additional decisions.

"Another important point is the destruction of the fuel depot in Engels. That's where the Tu-160 aircraft are based. Let me explain how they differ from others. The Tu-95 is the main component of Russian aviation for launching cruise missiles. However, these planes have already exhausted their resources, which is why Russia has begun to use the Tu-160. These aircraft require a special type of fuel that is not produced at all oil refineries in Russia. That’s why strikes on refineries producing this fuel are significant," Narozhny continues.

As for the consequences, the expert believes we may see a decrease in the number of cruise missile launches. This could lead to a reduction in attacks on Ukraine, but "we can't accurately count how many missiles would have been fired had these strikes not occurred. Of course, we want the attacks to stop altogether, but that is a matter of time."

"Additionally, we are targeting other strategic infrastructures, such as ammunition depots and artillery factories. The war is currently primarily artillery-based, and artillery constitutes the majority of fire strikes — for both us and the Russians. Therefore, strikes on artillery factories and the destruction of explosive stockpiles also diminish the effectiveness of enemy attacks," Narozhny states.

Overall, the number of strikes and shots in Russia is decreasing, which is important for understanding how the situation is shifting in favor of Ukraine.

"People often say that nothing is changing, that we've lost the war, but that's not true. The situation on the front is gradually shifting in our favor, and we can see this. However, victories will not come overnight," the military expert concludes.

Subsequently, it became known that a satellite revealed the aftermath of the strike on the Saratov refinery. Defense forces reached the fuel tanks of the Saratov refinery, located 700 km from Ukraine. Photos from space show black spots in place of the tanks.