Explosions rock Engels in Russia's Saratov Oblast amid reported drone attack
Explosions and fires were reported in Engels, located in Russia's Saratov Oblast, during an overnight drone attack on June 6, according to Russian officials and media outlets.
Located in Russia's Saratov Oblast, around 600 kilometers (370 miles) from the front lines in Ukraine, the city is home to the Engels-2 military airfield and an oil refinery — both of which have been targeted in previous Ukrainian strikes.
Residents shared footage of major fires breaking out in Engels following a drone attack, according to the independent Russian Telegram news channel Astra. Locals reported that the refinery was under attack and that a residential building had been hit.
Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin claimed that drones caused damage to a residential building in Engels. There were no casualties, he said.
Busargin later said that a fire had broken out at an unspecified "industrial enterprise" and that emergency responders had been dispatched to the scene.
The Kyiv Independent could not confirm these claims.
The reported drone attack comes after a series of major Ukrainian strikes against military targets inside Russia.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on June 1 launched Operation Spiderweb, a daring mass drone attack that damaged 41 Russian heavy bombers at four key airfields throughout the country. The operation reportedly targeted A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22 M3 planes parked at the Belaya, Diaghilev, Olenya, and Ivanovo air bases, causing approximately $7 billion in damage.
In the following days, Ukraine carried out strikes against Russia's Crimean Bridge, a military base in distant Vladivostok, and a missile base in Bryansk Oblast.
The Engels-2 base has been a frequent target of Ukrainian strikes since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. The airfield houses three types of strategic bombers regularly used in missile attacks on Ukraine: the Tu-95, Tu-22, and Tu-160.
An attack against the air base on March 20 destroyed 96 air-launched cruise missiles, according to Ukraine's General Staff.
Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine strikes Russian missile base in Bryansk Oblast, damages Iskander launchers; Trump dismisses timeline to impose Russian sanctionsWe've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
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