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LATEST: Ukraine strikes Russian oil depot supplying fuel to Engels-2 airbase, military confirms.
A large fire engulfed an oil depot overnight on Jan. 8 in the city of Engels in Saratov Oblast, various Russian Telegram media channels reported.
Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin said Ukrainian drone debris struck an unspecified "industrial facility" around 5:30 a.m. local time, amid a "massive" drone attack on the city. Russian Telegram channel ASTRA reported, citing resident accounts, that that an oil depot in the city had caught fire.
No information was immediately available as to the extent of the damage caused. Busargin said that there were no injuries as a result of the attack.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that 11 Ukrainian attack drones were downed over Saratov Oblast.
The Kyiv Independent cannot verify the claims of Russian officials.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show a large fire burning at the oil depot, as Russian air defense attempts to down the reported drones over the city. Residents reported hearing at least five explosions ahead of the fire.
Firefighters are on-scene attempting to extinguish the blaze, Busargin added.
Engels, located over 750 kilometers away from the nearest Ukrainian-controlled border, has previously been a target of Ukrainian drone attack, with the city housing the the Engels-2 air base.
Over the past year, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry, which is crucial to sustain Moscow's war efforts, as well as its military hardware.
As Russia's full-scale invasion continues, Ukraine has also continued to attack Russian targets along the Russia-Ukraine border to inflict damage to the country's military supply chain.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
