Massive drone attack on Saratov and Engels: over 60 explosions, fires and blackouts
On the night of 5 March, more than 60 explosions were heard in Saratov and Engels during a massive UAV attack. Oil refineries and critical infrastructure were hit. The region is experiencing a partial blackout.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to Russian media.
According to eyewitness reports, the drone attack began around 11 p.m. and lasted several hours. During this time, at least 60 explosions were heard. As a result of the attack, fires broke out in the region, and some areas were left without electricity.
Local residents say that the sky above the cities was lit up by flashes of explosions and the work of air defence systems. At the same time, according to them, it was not possible to completely avoid being hit.
What is known about the consequences
A large-scale fire broke out in one of the districts of Saratov, which took several hours to extinguish.
Due to damage to power lines, part of Saratov and Engels were left without electricity.
Saratov Region Governor Roman Busargin called the attack "the most massive in a year." According to official information, civilian infrastructure was damaged, and three people were reported injured.
Probable targets of the strikes
According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, 48 drones were allegedly shot down. At the same time, Ukrainian monitoring resources report possible hits on critical infrastructure facilities.
In particular, there was an attack on the Saratov oil refinery, where a major fire was reported. There are also reports of drone activity in the area of the "Engels-2" airfield, which is a base for Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers.
Emergency services are currently continuing to deal with the aftermath of the attack, and the situation in the region remains tense.
