Motorcycle attack near Engels targets Russian bomber chief, seriously wounded
A Russian Aerospace Forces officer was shot in the torso and face by a motorcyclist near Engels, a key base for Russia's strategic bombers; the driver was injured, and preliminary unconfirmed reports suggest the target could have been Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division. Varpakhovich's unit operates Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers used in strikes on Ukraine, and the EU has sanctioned him for actions supporting Russia's war in Ukraine. The injured officer was being prepared for transfer to Moscow as investigators assess the motive.