Strikes on Strategic Aviation and Oil Refining: The Defense Forces Confirmed the Destruction of the “Engels” Airfield and the Saratov Oil Refinery

This is stated in a report from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Strikes on the Engels Airfield and the Saratov Oil Refinery

One of the main targets of the nighttime operation was an airbase in the Saratov region. Ukrainian forces carried out a precision strike on the Engels airfield. Hits were recorded on the facility’s grounds, followed by a fire.

The “Engels” airfield is a key base for the Russian Federation’s strategic aviation, specifically Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers, which the enemy systematically uses to launch cruise missiles at peaceful cities in Ukraine.

In addition, the Saratov Oil Refinery in Saratov itself was struck. A massive fire broke out on the grounds of this strategic facility, which has a capacity of approximately 7 million metric tons of oil per year. The plant is one of the largest in the Volga region and supplies fuel to the Russian military-industrial complex and the Russian Armed Forces. The extent of the damage is currently being assessed.

Strikes on Fuel Infrastructure and UAV Bases

The Defense Forces’ strikes have also extended to other regions of Russia:

• Kaluga Oblast: A strike was carried out on the “Lyudinovskaya” oil depot in the city of Lyudinovo, which is used by the occupiers to store and supply fuel and lubricants to Russian troops.
• Bryansk Oblast: A facility for the storage, preparation, and launch of attack drones near the village of Navlya was struck.

Destruction of drone command posts

The General Staff also noted that the day before, on August 1, Ukrainian units carried out precision strikes on enemy UAV command posts. Enemy targets were neutralized near Olkhozhemchugov in the Kursk Oblast of the Russian Federation, as well as in occupied and frontline territories—near Berestok (Donetsk Oblast), Sichnevo (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast), and Yablukove (Zaporizhzhia Oblast).

As a reminder, on the night of August 2, explosions were heard in the Russian cities of Saratov and Engels. According to Russian Telegram channels, a fire broke out at an oil refinery in Saratov, as well as in the city’s industrial zone.