Russia's Saratov and Engels under heavy attack: 60 explosions in 2 hours
Work of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The night of March 5 became a real test for strategic facilities in Russia’s Saratov region, according to Russian media.
More than sixty powerful explosions were heard over Saratov and Engels, where a strategic aviation airbase is located. While local authorities tried to calm the population, fires broke out in the region, and some districts lost electricity.
The drone attack began around 11:00 PM and lasted for several hours. According to eyewitnesses, the skies over the cities were lit up by explosions and air defense activity, but strikes could not be completely avoided.
- Scale: Local residents counted at least 60 detonations.
- Consequences: A large fire broke out in one of Saratov's districts, and firefighters were unable to bring it under control for several hours.
- Blackout: Both Saratov and Engels were partially left without electricity due to damaged transmission lines.
Governor Roman Busargin has already called this attack the most massive of the year. According to official data, civilian infrastructure was damaged, and three people were injured.
Main targets: Oil refinery and airbase
Although the Ministry of Defence of Russia claimed that 48 drones were shot down, Ukrainian monitoring resources reported successful hits.
- Saratov Oil Refinery: Reports indicate an active attack on the oil refinery, accompanied by a powerful fire.
- Engels-2 Air Base: The city of Engels hosts bases for Russia’s strategic Tu-95MS bombers. Any drone activity in this area is considered critical for Russian aviation operations.
The situation in the region remains tense, while emergency services continue to clear debris and deal with the consequences of the strikes.
Explosions were also reported in Engels and Saratov on the night of February 22 following an attack by unidentified drones, with witnesses recording fires on video.
