07/08/2026
On the night of July 8, Russians began complaining about “deafening explosions” in the city of
Saratov: a strike was carried out on a local oil refinery. A fire broke out at the plant, and at that time an “unmanned danger” was declared in the region.
The attack was reported by the Telegram channel Exilenova+. A petrochemical plant is also on fire in Nizhny Kamsk (Tatarstan), and the governor of Rostov Region announced the destruction of tankers in the Taganrog Bay.
Attack on the Saratov Oil Refinery
The explosions in Saratov began in the middle of the night. Exilenova+ reported at 02:39 that Russians were complaining about the attack and “deafening explosions.”
The attack was effective: arrivals were recorded.
The attack and fire at the Saratov Oil Refinery are also confirmed by an OSINT analyst from the independent Russian publication ASTRA.
“Ukrainian drones attacked an oil refinery in Saratov. A fire broke out, as seen from eyewitness footage. ASTRA OSINT analyst confirmed the destruction of the industrial facility,” the report states.
As of 05:30 am, local authorities had not commented on the arrivals and the fire in any way. The only message on the Telegram channel of Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin concerned “information about the threat from UAVs” and “local operation of the warning system.”
Within an hour, Busargin reported “one dead and wounded” as a result of “an attack by enemy UAVs on civilian infrastructure facilities.”
Meanwhile, Russians continued to complain about “black smoke rising in a column” and “flashing lights” in Saratov.
What is known about the Saratov Refinery?
Saratov Refinery – one of the oldest oil refineries in the Russian Federation – belongs to the Russian company Rosneft. In 2023, the volume of oil refining at the enterprise was 4.8 million tons per year, in 2020 – 7 million tons.
The plant produces over 20 types of products: unleaded gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil of all major brands, bitumen, vacuum gas oil, and technical sulfur.
Previously, he repeatedly attracted the attention of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
Attack on a factory in Nizhny Kamsk
The explosions in Tatarstan became known around 6 am.
“Nizhnekamsk, Tatarstan. An attack was carried out on Nizhnekamskneftekhim,” Exilenova+ reported.
PJSC Nizhnekamskneftekhim is the largest Russian petrochemical enterprise in Europe, located in Nizhnekamsk (Republic of Tatarstan) and part of the SIBUR holding. The company specializes in the production of synthetic rubbers and plastics, producing over 120 types of products.
The enterprise accounts for about 42% of the world’s production of synthetic isoprene rubber and 17% of butyl rubber.
On the last day of March this year, an explosion occurred at the plant. Officially, it was stated that it was the result of a depressurization of equipment in the production of synthetic rubber, which led to the ignition of a gas mixture.
Authorities confirmed the death of 12 people in the explosion; according to official figures, 72 people were injured at the time.
There are also two oil refineries in Nizhny Kamsk.
Nizhny Kama Oil Refinery (TANECO, Tatneft) is one of the largest and most modern refineries in Russia. Its design capacity is over 16 million tons of oil per year.
It specializes in the production of high-quality fuel, including gasoline and diesel fuel.
Another plant, “TAIF-NK” – an industrial complex with a design capacity of oil processing 7.3 million tons per year and gas condensate 1 million tons per year. It is distinguished by an extremely high degree of processing, producing straight-run fuel and various petrochemical components.
Attack on tankers in Taganrog Bay
The governor of this Russian region, Yuri Slyusar, announced in the morning that an attack had been carried out on the Rostov region of the Russian Federation at night.
He announced the “destruction of about seven dozen UAVs,” while acknowledging the “consequences on the ground” and the presence of casualties.
In particular, according to a statement by a Russian official, unknown drones damaged two Russian tankers.
“In the Taganrog Bay, two tankers heading to Rostov-on-Don were damaged as a result of a UAV attack. Two people received minor injuries. One was provided with medical assistance on the spot, the other was taken to the hospital, and doctors provided all necessary assistance. Both victims refused hospitalization. The crew on one of the ships had to be evacuated,” Slyusar wrote.
At the same time, he assured that ” the tankers were empty, there was no spill of oil products.”
As OBOZ.UA reported, on the night of July 8, the Defense Forces also attacked a military airfield in Borisoglebsk in the Russian Federation.
This airbase is home to Su-34, Su-35, and Su-30SM fighter jets, which the Russian Federation is actively using in the war against Ukraine.