Russian oil refinery, airbase, Wildberries warehouse reportedly struck by Ukrainian forces

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a statement from Ukraine's General Staff.

Ukrainian forces struck a Russian air base in Engels and an oil refinery in Saratov Oblast overnight on Aug. 2, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed after reports by monitoring channels.

Ukrainian forces struck "a target" at Russia's Engels air base, causing a fire, the military said without specifying what was hit. The base is home to Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers used by Moscow to launch missile attacks on Ukraine.

A fire reportedly broke out at an oil refinery in the nearby Russian city of Saratov after it was struck by Ukrainian drones. The General Staff also said its forces hit the Lyudinovskaya oil depot in Kaluga Oblast.

The Saratov refinery is one of the largest in Russia's Povolzhye region, processing around 7 million metric tons of crude oil annually and supporting Russia's military-industrial complex.

According to Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin, two people were killed in the strikes, and civilian infrastructure in both cities was damaged. The Ukrainian military has not commented on the claims.

The General Staff also reported a strike on a Russian drone site near Navlya in Bryansk Oblast used to store, prepare, and launch drones.

In the town of Novosemeykino in Samara Oblast, a warehouse belonging to Wildberries was set ablaze after it was struck, Russian Telegram channel Exilenova Plus reported.

Samara Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said that the airspace above the region was closed amid the threat of a drone attack.

The Kyiv Independent couldn't verified these reports.

Wildberries lists a range of military equipment on its website, including drone components and body armor. Meanwhile, the company's banking arm was sanctioned by the EU in July over its financial contribution to Russia's state budget.

In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have conducted a sustained strike campaign against Wildberries logistics centers across Russia.

Ukraine regularly strikes military infrastructure deep within Russia and the occupied territories in an effort to diminish Moscow's ability to continue waging its war.

Late on July 31, flames engulfed a Russian petrochemical plant in the Republic of Tatarstan, according to monitoring channels and eyewitness photos and videos published on social media.

In separate strikes earlier in the day, Ukraine struck an oil refinery in Russia's Volgograd Oblast and hit an aircraft plant in the city of Yevpatoriia in Russian-occupied Crimea, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the General Staff confirmed.

Meanwhile, Russia continues fatal attacks on cities across Ukraine, targeting civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings.

At least nine people were killed and more than 30 others injured in another massive Russian ballistic missile strike on Kyiv overnight on Aug. 1.