10/16/2025
On the night of October 16, suicide drones launched a massive attack on the Saratov region of the Russian Federation. The targets were located in the regional center, as well as in Engels, where a strategic aviation airbase is located.
Throughout the night, local residents complained about numerous explosions. This is reported by monitoring Telegram channels.
Attack on the Saratov region
According to preliminary data, the drone attack on Saratov and Engels began at around 01:00 a.m. The first wave of UAVs attacked the region for several hours.
A second wave of drones was recorded some time later, attacking the Saratov region until the early morning. Eyewitnesses said that during the attack in Saratov and Engels, they recorded numerous explosions and signs of burning in the area of the industrial zone.
Due to the UAV attack, the work of Gagarin Airport in the Saratov region was temporarily paralyzed. The air harbor was closed due to the implementation of the “Carpet” plan.
Saratov Region Governor Roman Busargin said overnight that the Defense Ministry had received information about the UAV threat. However, several hours after the attack, the official still had not commented on the consequences of the shelling.
What is located in Engels?
Near the city of Engels in Saratov Oblast is one of the key air bases for Russian long-range aviation. It is home to strategic missile-carrying bombers such as the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS. These aircraft are regularly used for missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine.
As a reminder, on October 11, drones attacked the Bashneft-UNPZ oil refinery in the Republic of Bashkortostan. The facility is located approximately 1,400 km from the state border of Ukraine.
As OBOZ.UA previously reported, more than 57 regions of the Russian Federation have faced fuel supply disruptions, while at least 26 oil refineries have been hit since August. The fuel shortage has led to the closure of some gas stations, restrictions on gasoline sales, queues at gas stations, and a ban on the export of petroleum products.
Great! Either oil infrastructures were hit, or airfields, or both. We’ll see…