Russia reports fire at airfield in Saratov region amid overnight Ukrainian drone attack

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia on Thursday said that a fire broke out at an airfield in the country’s Saratov region due to an overnight Ukrainian drone attack.

A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its air defenses shot down 132 Ukrainian drones over multiple regions of the country amid an overnight attack. It said that 54 of the drones were intercepted over the Saratov region.

Saratov Governor Roman Busargin said on Telegram that the attack caused a fire at an airfield in the city of Engels, located about 470 kilometers (292 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The city also houses a military airbase, home to Moscow’s Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear-capable heavy strategic bombers.

Busargin said that residents around the airfield were evacuated from the scene for safety reasons, adding that all emergency services are on site in what he described as “the most massive drone attack of all time.”

He further said that about 30 houses and a clinical hospital, as well as two kindergartens and a school, have been damaged during the attack.

“There are victims. All those who sought medical assistance were provided with the necessary medical care,” he added, without providing further details about the number of casualties.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the attack.