• 01/19/2025

Drones attack several Russian oblasts, sparking fires – videos

Pravda Ukraine

Russian authorities have reported a massive drone attack on several Russian oblasts on the night of 13-14 December, with local Telegram channels sharing videos of large-scale fires.

Source: Russian Telegram channels; Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin; Head of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov; Tula Oblast Governor Dmitry Milyaev

Details: In particular, a drone attack caused damage to an industrial facility in the city of Engels in Russia’s Saratov Oblast.

This information was confirmed by Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin, though he did not specify which facility was affected.

Quote from Busargin: “There is damage at an industrial facility in Engels as a result of the UAV attack. Emergency and operational services are working intensively.”

Busargin has previously referred to an “industrial facility” in relation to an oil depot struck by drones on 8 January.

Mikhail Isayev, acting head of the Engels district, announced that schools would conduct classes remotely due to the threat of further drone attacks.

“Administrations of institutions have been instructed to promptly deliver all the information to the parents,” Isayev said.

Updated: Russian Telegram channels reported that drones also attacked Kazan. Citing local residents, they mention a large fire near the Kazanorgsintez plant. The strike reportedly targeted not the plant itself but a liquefied gas storage base.

Kazanorgsintez, according to its website, is one of Russia’s leading chemical industry businesses, producing polymers, ethylene copolymers, polycarbonates, ethanolamines and other products.

Later, Rustam Minnikhanov, Head of the Republic of Tatarstan, confirmed the attack.

Quote from Minnikhanov: “I visited the place of the fire caused by the drone attack. Emergency services promptly arrived at the scene to extinguish the blaze.”

He claimed that “there are no casualties or significant damage”.

Tula Oblast Governor Dmitry Milyaev also reported a large-scale drone attack.

Quote from Milyaev: “Tula Oblast came under a large-scale attack by Ukrainian drones last night. Air defence systems of the Russian Defence Ministry are responding. Early reports indicate that the aerial targets have been intercepted. There are no casualties and information on damages is being gathered.”

The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency announced the closure of airports in the Russian cities of Penza, Ulyanovsk, Kazan and Saratov.

In addition, the airports in Kaluga (Grabtsevo) and Tambov (Donskoye) were temporarily closed. However, as of the morning, restrictions on aircraft arrivals and departures have been lifted.

Background: On the night of 7-8 January, Ukraine’s defence forces struck the Kombinat Kristal oil storage facility in the city of Engels in Russia’s Saratov Oblast.

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https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/01/14/7493408/