On January 8, a drone attack took place in the city of Engels, Saratov Region, causing an oil storage facility connected to the local air base to catch fire.
Points of attention
- A drone attack caused an outbreak at an oil storage facility associated with an air base in Engels, Saratov Oblast, Russia.
- The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the destruction of 11 drones in the Saratov region, and confirmed the burning of an oil storage facility at the Engels airfield.
- It is known that Engels Air Base is a key military facility in Russia, actively used for missile strikes.
“Cotton” in Engels — what is known so far
Saratov Region Governor Roman Busargin confirmed drone attacks on the cities of Saratov and Engels. He said an industrial facility was damaged.
In the morning update, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the destruction of 11 drones in the Saratov region.
Astra's analysis of photos and video footage confirmed that an oil storage facility belonging to an air base is on fire in Engels. This information is also confirmed by photos released by the governor.
Eyewitnesses report that the fire at the oil depot is still ongoing.
Engels Air Base, located in the Saratov region, is one of Russia's key military facilities. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, it has been actively used for missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine. Ukrainian special services have repeatedly attacked this air base in the past.
Fire rages at oil depot in Engels, Russia
According to Russian media, there were 5-12 "strong explosions" heard by local residents. It was later clarified that the number of explosions could have reached 40.
According to the Telegram channel Mash, the fire was caused by drone debris that fell near the oil depot. Videos of the drone flying over Engels have also emerged.
The strike was likely aimed at the Kombinat Kristal oil depot, which is part of the Rosrezerv system. The oil depot is used to store aviation fuel for the local Engels-2 airbase.
