Russian oil plant in Saratov burns into second day after drones hit
Photo: a refinery burns for a second day in Saratov, Russia, after a drone strike (Russian media)
In the Russian city of Saratov, a fire at an oil refinery has continued for a second day. On the night of March 21, the facility was struck by Ukrainian drones, according to Exil+.
Satellite images from March 21 show that about ten units of special equipment were involved in firefighting efforts.
Meanwhile, as of midday on March 22, NASA satellites continue to record elevated temperatures in the area of the facility.
This indicates that Russian services have still not managed to fully extinguish the fire.
Attacks on the Saratov refinery
As a reminder, on the night of March 21, the Russian oil refinery in Saratov was once again struck by long-range Ukrainian drones.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has already confirmed the attack, reporting damage to the secondary oil processing unit and vertical RVS-10000 tanks.
The Saratov refinery processes crude oil and produces fuel and lubricants used by the occupying army. It is one of the oldest oil-processing facilities in Russia.
As of 2023, its processing capacity was 4.8 million tons.
The plant has been targeted by drones before.
On November 3, 2025, the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the facility, causing hits and a fire near the processing units. A similar attack occurred on the night of September 16, when explosions were reported near the site, resulting in a fire.
Additionally, on the night of August 10, Ukrainian drones, operating alongside other Defense Forces units, carried out a strike on the refinery located about 600 km from the Ukrainian border.
At that time, reports mentioned one death, several injuries, and damage to residential and industrial buildings.
