Locals report explosions near Engels airfield, oil depot in Russia's Saratov Oblast amid overnight drone attacks
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Unidentified drones struck Russia's Rostov and Saratov oblasts overnight on Dec. 7, with Ukrainian Telegram media channel Exilenova Plus reporting explosions near an airfield and oil depot in the city of Engels in Saratov Oblast. Local and military authorities later said air defenses shot down multiple drones over the regions.
According to Russia's Defense Ministry, air defenses shot down 77 Ukrainian drones over Russia overnight on Dec. 7, including 43 over Saratov Oblast and 12 over Rostov Oblast.
Residents in the affected regions reported hearing several explosions, according to Russian Telegram media channel ASTRA. In Saratov Oblast, Governor Roman Busargin said overnight that there was a threat of a drone attack.
In neighboring Rostov Oblast, drones reportedly attacked several districts, damaging a power line tower in Sholokhovsky district and leaving 250 residents without electricity, Governor Yury Slyusar wrote on Telegram on Dec. 7. No injuries were reported.
Ukrainian Telegram media channel Exilenova Plus said that local residents suggested that explosions occurred near an airfield and an oil depot in the city of Engels.
The Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify the claims.
Engels has been a target before. Ukraine has previously targeted the Kristal Plant, an oil refinery in Engels that supplies fuel to Russia's Engels-2 military airfield. The airfield is one of Russia's key strategic military bases. It hosts long-range bombers, including the nuclear-capable Tu-95 and Tu-160 aircraft, and is regularly used to attack Ukraine.
Ukraine routinely targets military and industrial facilities in Russia with long-range drone strikes.
