Ukraine launched a drone attack late Sunday, targetting an oil refinery in Russia’s Saratov region, about 500 miles from the border, foreign media reported.
Explosion and Fire at the Refinery
Ukraine‘s General Staff confirmed the strike, saying it “caused explosions and a fire“ at the Saratov oil refinery, according to news agency Reuters.
Casualty and Structural Damage Reported
Saratov regional governor Roman Busargin said that one person died and an industrial building suffered damage. “All the necessary emergency services are working on the spot,” Reuters quoted Busargin as saying.
Meanwhile, a media-linked Telegram channel also noted that a drone landed in a residential courtyard, with residents evacuated to a nearby school amid reports of broken windows and burned vehicles.
Attack Aimed at Strategic Disruption
The latest strike comes as Ukraine ramps us its offensive, seeking to weaken Russian military and economic infrastructure. Targetting oil refineries in Saratov and Engels disrupts vital energy flows. Ivan Stupak, a former Ukrainian security official, told Newsweek, “Saratov‘s oil refinery is still burning after Ukrainian drone strikes… Kyiv is trying to cause as ‘much economic disruption‘ as possible.“
Andriy Kovalenko of Ukraine‘s National Security and Defense Council posted a Telegram image showing dark smoke over what appeared to be an industrial site termed “Saratov.“
Meanwhile, a Kremlin-linked Telegram account said residents heard “at least 17 explosions” and saw “several fires,“ adding that additional drones were sighted over Engels, as reported by Reuters.
Russia Fends Off Most Drones
Russia‘s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, claimed that its air defenses intercepted 121 Ukrainian drones between Saturday evening and early Sunday across 15 regions, including Crimea. Eight drones were reportedly intercepted over Saratov.
Due to the threat, Russia‘s federal air transport agency temporarily restricted operations at Saratov‘s airport, the report said.
Saratov Hit While Kyiv Advances
Ukraine earlier announced that it had recaptured the village of Bezsalivka in the Sumy region, near the Russia-Ukraine border, signaling a simultaneous push on multiple fronts.
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