A senior Russian air force commander was shot twice at close range in the Saratov region on Wednesday morning, in the latest of a series of attacks against Russian military officers on its territory. The officer, identified by military bloggers as Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, was leaving a shop in the village of Probuzhdeniye in the Engels district when an unidentified gunman on a motorbike fired two shots, one striking him in the face and the other in the torso. He was taken to a local hospital in serious condition before being airlifted to Moscow for further treatment.
Russian authorities have not officially confirmed the identity of the injured man, but the ASTRA Telegram channel noted that Probuzhdeniye is listed as one of Varpakhovich's registered addresses. The city of Engels, some 850 kilometres from Moscow, hosts the Engels-2 airbase, one of Russia's most significant strategic aviation facilities.
Charges over the Okhmatdyt strike
Varpakhovich has been charged in absentia by Ukrainian authorities over the 8 July 2024 missile strike on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv. Ukrainian investigators said he ordered the attack, which resulted in a Kh-101 cruise missile striking the hospital. Two people were killed and more than 30 injured, including nine children. The building was partially destroyed. Ukraine's Health Ministry said 627 children were receiving treatment at the hospital at the time of the strike.
Ukraine's Security Service published a statement on 31 August saying it had compiled evidence against two Russian military officials. The second is Colonel Aleksandr Lutovinov, commander of a missile brigade in the 49th Combined Arms Army, who investigators said organised the 24 August 2024 missile strike on the Sapphire hotel complex in Kramatorsk. A security adviser for Reuters news agency was killed in that attack, and five journalists were wounded.
The shooting in Engels is part of a series of gun and bomb attacks involving Russian military figures that has grown in recent weeks. On 1 August, five people were killed and at least 19 wounded in an explosion at the Balzi Rossi restaurant in Moscow. The presumed target was Colonel General Aleksandr Chaiko, commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, whom Ukrainian authorities have accused of organising massacres in Bucha following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Chaiko was also the commanding officer of Russian forces participating in the Syrian war on the side of ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad.
On 13 August, Russian Navy Captain First Rank Robert Shagiev was killed by an explosion in a street in Sevastopol. He was formerly the commander of Ukraine's submarine Zaporizhzhia. Shagiev was allegedly killed by a Russian national. Last week, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Sechkov was killed and his wife was taken to intensive care when an improvised explosive device planted in his car detonated in St Petersburg.
These incidents underscore the growing instability within Russia's military establishment, as the Kremlin continues to face both external pressure and internal dissent. The targeting of senior officers, whether by Ukrainian intelligence or by domestic actors, signals a new phase in the conflict that has direct implications for European security. As Finland's largest civil defence drill since WWII prepares for Russian threats, and Denmark warns Russia is preparing sabotage against its defense industry, the continent remains on high alert.
The attack on Varpakhovich also highlights the vulnerability of Russian military personnel even in the heartland, far from the front lines. The Engels airbase has been a frequent target of Ukrainian drone strikes, and the recent shooting suggests that the conflict is increasingly being brought home to Russian officers. Kyiv has formally warned ICAO that Russian airspace is unsafe for airlines, a move that reflects the broader risks posed by the war.
As the war enters its third year, the pattern of attacks on Russian soil is likely to continue, with each incident further eroding the sense of security that the Kremlin seeks to project. For European observers, these events are a reminder of the volatile and unpredictable nature of the conflict, and the need for continued vigilance and support for Ukraine's defence.
