Russian Saratov hit by drones at night, blaze erupts near oil plant
Emergency services at the site of the strikes (Photo: Getty Images)
Unknown drones attacked Saratov overnight. Local Telegram channels reported that an oil refinery was hit, although authorities officially stated that civilian infrastructure was damaged, according to Russian media sources.
Journalists and eyewitnesses posted footage of the attack and its aftermath, showing flames, fire, and smoke.
“Right now our reporters are documenting the fire after the attack in Saratov,” one of the channels wrote under the video.
The governor of the Saratov region, Roman Busargin, reported via Telegram after 2:00 a.m. that drones posed a threat in the region, and confirmed the drone attack after 5:00 a.m. He did not specify the targets, only mentioning damage to civilian infrastructure.
Local Telegram channels, however, reported that the drones struck an oil refinery, without mentioning civilian infrastructure. It is also known that a fire broke out at the refinery.
Previous attacks on the Saratov oil refinery
Saratov hosts an oil refinery that the Ukrainian Defense Forces have attacked multiple times. For example, a series of explosions occurred over the Russian cities of Saratov and Engels on the night of November 11, which was later confirmed by the General Staff as a strike.
The refinery was also targeted last month, with another confirmed strike on the night of October 16.
The Saratov refinery is one of the oldest oil processing plants in Russia. Two years ago, its crude oil processing capacity was 4.8 million tons. The facility is also known to supply the needs of the Russian Armed Forces.
