Ukrainian drones attacked fuel depots in the city of Engels in the Saratov region in western Russia. There was an explosion and a huge fire. Local authorities decided to introduce a state of emergency, reports the Interia news portal.
The attack on the oil depot, which supplies fuel to the Engels-2 military airport, was carried out on Tuesday night. The strike was confirmed in a statement by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“Numerous explosions were reported near the target and a large-scale fire broke out. Local authorities confirm that an ‘industrial facility’ was hit (…) More detailed information on the results of combat operations is being clarified,” it was written.
Russia’s Rosreserv fuel depot in Engels reportedly suffered another massive fuel tank explosion overnight.
The Russian strategic fuel storage facility, hit by Ukrainian attack drones early yesterday morning, continues to burn completely out of control as more tanks ignite. pic.twitter.com/hnvl9LfRKC
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) January 9, 2025“Damage to the oil base creates serious logistical problems for the strategic aviation of the Russian occupiers and significantly reduces its ability to attack peaceful Ukrainian cities and civilian facilities,” it added.
Due to the huge fire that was caused by the shelling, local authorities announced a state of emergency in Engels. The decision was announced by the governor of the Saratov region, Roman Busargin.
“Unfortunately, while putting out the fire, two employees of the Fire Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations died. One specialist was also taken to the hospital (…) Throughout the day in Engels, in the area of the fire, specialists from the Rospotrebnadzor department have been taking air samples. No excess pollutants were recorded,” state Russian authorities.
24 hours after being targeted by Ukrainian drones, fuel depots near Russia's Engels airfield in Saratov are only expanding, now consuming several storage tanks, with the whole region now declared a national disaster area. pic.twitter.com/xorE8orBp4
— Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) January 8, 2025Petro Lakiychuk spoke about the effectiveness of the drone strike on the city of Engels. The Ukrainian expert stated that for the Russians, the military airport “Engels-2,” which is located near the warehouses that were hit, is a key one in the war.
“It is a key airport for Russian strategic aviation, strategic bombers, which are used against Ukraine. In total, they have three such airports,” he said.
“They simply do not have a substitute, where they would make intermediate landings. The more “Engels” is neutralized, the harder it will be for them to work towards victory,” he said.
