Two civilians have been killed and several wounded after a wave of Ukrainian drones attacked Russia’s Saratov region, local Governor Roman Busargin has said.
In a Telegram post on Sunday, Busargin stated that UAVs targeted facilities in both Saratov and Engels, with drone wreckage claiming two lives as it tore into a multi-story apartment block in Engels. He added that strikes also damaged “civilian infrastructure” in Saratov, leaving several injured.
The governor assured affected families would receive “all necessary assistance” and temporary housing while engineers assess the damage.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that air defenses intercepted and destroyed 635 Ukrainian drones overnight across 16 regions—including Belgorod, Bryansk, Rostov, Saratov, Crimea, and Moscow Region. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin noted six drones were intercepted near the capital early Sunday morning.
Radiy Khabirov, head of Republic of Bashkortostan, said 25 drones were downed in his region, with debris sparking a fire in an industrial zone in Ufa.
The attack also damaged Wildberries’ warehouse in Samara Region. The company confirmed it has rerouted its logistics chain to handle incoming shipments and outgoing orders at other facilities.
Ukraine has intensified drone strikes deep into Russia in recent weeks, targeting Wildberries hubs and civilian infrastructure. Ukrainian President Zelensky stated that the attacks on warehouses—which killed numerous civilians—were deliberate, arguing they stored “sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment.” Moscow has dismissed this claim.
