Explosions rock Russia's Saratov as drone attack sparks refinery fire
Photo: Firefighters from Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations (t.me/GUmchs62)
A fire broke out at Rosneft's Saratov oil refinery overnight on November 7 following a drone attack. Air raid sirens sounded at least twice in the city, while eyewitnesses reported flashes and explosions, according to OSINT analysis by Russian ASTRA.
Air raid alerts were declared at least twice in Saratov overnight. Local residents posted videos showing flashes and recording the sounds of explosions.
Based on footage recorded by one eyewitness, ASTRA's OSINT analysts identified the Saratov oil refinery as the site of the fire. The regional governor preliminarily reported casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure as a result of the drone attack.
The Saratov oil refinery was under attack (Russian media)
The Saratov oil refinery was under attack (Russian media)
The Saratov oil refinery is owned by Rosneft and is one of Russia's oldest oil refineries. In 2023, it processed 4.8 million metric tons of oil.
The facility has repeatedly come under attack by Ukrainian drones and has suspended operations several times due to damage. According to Reuters, this also happened in September 2026.
The Saratov Oil Refinery is one of the most frequent targets of Ukrainian drones. The previous attack on the facility took place overnight on September 8. At the time, local residents reported explosions and a fire, while governor Roman Busargin acknowledged damage to civilian infrastructure and casualties.
In the summer, the refinery suspended operations twice following attacks. The first shutdown came after the July 8 attack, when Ukraine's Defense Forces also struck another refinery, six tankers, the Borisoglebsk airfield, and several road bridges that same night.
In August, the facility shut down for the second time, while oil refining in Russia fell to its lowest level in more than 20 years.
