01/19/2026
Residents of Saratov, Russia, have complained about a drone attack overnight. Residents of the city said they heard “more than 10 powerful explosions.”
A local refinery was hit. This is reported by Russian public forums, as well as the Ukrainian Telegram channel Supernova+.
What is known
Early in the morning on January 19, the governor of the Saratov region, Roman Busargin, announced the “threat of UAVs” in the region.
“Locally, warning systems can operate in places of possible threat. All emergency services are on full alert ” the Russian official wrote.
Warning systems were “activated locally,” particularly in Saratov and neighboring Engels. Residents of these cities listened to the wailing of sirens accompanied by explosions.
“Powerful explosions are thundering over Saratov – the air defense system is currently actively repelling the attack of Ukrainian UAVs. According to local residents, more than 10 powerful explosions have already been heard, the first ones were heard around 3:10 local time. Several enemy drones have already been destroyed. Residents of Engels are also reporting loud siren sounds and distant strikes,” wrote one of the Russian propaganda forums.
In Engels , the cannonade and the wailing of sirens were also accompanied by the roar of military aircraft engines: the occupiers, amid the attack, set about saving the aircraft located at the local airfield from possible destruction, wrote the Telegram channel Exilenova+.
Neither the propagandists nor the regional governor reported anything about the consequences of the attack – unlike the local residents. Thus, videos appeared on the Internet, shot, judging by the voice-over, by a child. The author of the video kindly suggested that the explosions were heard in the area of the local oil refinery : it was this, Supernova+ claims, that was the target of the attack .
There is currently no information about its consequences.
Meanwhile, amid the “UAV threat,” Saratov and neighboring Penza have introduced “Plan Carpet” at local airports.
Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that a “parade of blackouts” had begun in the regions of Russia and the territories it occupied.
As of Saturday evening, January 17, the power went out in the homes of Russians in Yeysk (Krasnodar Krai), Krasnozavodsk and Serpukhov (Moscow Oblast), as well as in the occupied territories of Kherson and Zaporizhia.