Ukraine uses unidentified two-meter wingspan drones to strike Russia's Saratov region

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) conducted a large-scale drone attack in the Saratov region of Russia last night. Regional Governor Roman Busargin said that it was the largest drone attack to date.

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Ukrainian drone

First Reports and Drone Shootdowns

Initial information about the UAV threat emerged around 4 a.m.. Later, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 54 drones were shot down over the Saratov region.

Fires at an Airfield and Oil Refinery

The primary targets of the drone attack were the cities of Saratov and Engels. In Engels, the attack caused a fire at the airfield, leading to the evacuation of residents from nearby dacha communities. Engels district head Maksim Leonov specified that the affected areas included the Malinki and Children's Sanatorium settlements.

Additionally, eyewitnesses reported an attempted strike on an oil refinery, where a fire also broke out. Residents of Saratov and Engels stated that they were awakened around 4 a.m. by the loud wailing of air raid sirens, followed by a series of explosions.

Unidentified drone types with two-meter wingspan used to attack Engels

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) used PD-2, "Lutyi," and unidentified homemade drones with a wingspan of over two meters to attack Engels in the Saratov region. This was reported by Shot on Telegram.

According to the publication, the UAVs were equipped with cumulative KZ-6 bombs weighing around five kilograms. They were launched from Ukraine's Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Sumy, and Zhytomyr regions.

The report also states that the AFU attacked the region in groups of 10–15 drones flying at low altitudes.

Damage to a Hospital and Civilian Casualties

The Engels City Clinical Hospital No. 1 sustained damage in the attack, with around ten windows on the upper floors shattered. Shrapnel also struck the walls of patient rooms. One woman was injured by the debris, received medical assistance, and was reported to be in stable condition. The hospital's oxygen pipeline was also damaged.

Patients and staff were relocated from the affected areas, and emergency patients were transferred to other medical facilities. Governor Busargin promised that the hospital would resume normal operations by the evening.

Videos from inside the hospital later surfaced, showing staff inspecting the damage. The footage displayed broken windows, shrapnel-damaged walls, and a completely shattered staff room. The exterior of the hospital was also shown with broken windows.

Increased Casualty Count and Additional Damage

Initially, two injuries were reported, but later updates confirmed additional casualties. A second injured person, another Engels resident, sought medical attention. Deputy Minister of Health Denis Graifer stated that his condition was moderate, while the hospitalized woman was in stable condition, mainly experiencing shock rather than life-threatening injuries.

Drone debris also struck a private house in the Sokolovaya Gora area of Saratov. In Engels, the children's sanatorium Chaika was damaged, along with shattered windows in two kindergartens, a school, and several apartment buildings. Fortunately, no children were present at the time. As a precaution, schools in the city switched to remote learning for the day.

Further Damage Assessments

Later, Governor Busargin reported that approximately 30 private homes and dachas in Engels had been damaged, and some residents had sought medical assistance, though specific numbers were not provided. Local authorities were instructed to assess the needs of affected residents and provide material support.

Details

Saratov Oblast is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located in the Volga Federal District. Its administrative center is the city of Saratov. As of the 2021 Census, its population was 2,442,575. The oblast is located in the southeast of European Russia, in the northern part of the Lower Volga region. From west to east its territory stretches for 575 kilometers (357 mi), and from north to south for 330 kilometers (210 mi). The highest point of Saratov Oblast is an unnamed hill of the Khvalynsk Mountains reaching 369 metres (1,211 ft) above sea level.