Homes were smashed and flights were limited in Russia’s Saratov region following a drone strike through Ukraine on Monday, according to Russian officials and news agencies. The incident also left one injured.
The regional governor, Roman Basurgin, reported on Telegram that the remains of a drone destroyed by Russian air defense systems destroyed a residential complex in Saratov. “A woman is hospitalized in serious condition,” Basurin said, adding that doctors are fighting for her life.
The Russian Defense Ministry showed that its air defense systems destroyed drones over the Saratov region, about 900 kilometers (560 miles) from the border with Ukraine. As a result, Saratov Regional Airport has limited flights, according to data from Russian news firm RIA.
Emergency services were deployed to the affected sites in Saratov and Engels, key cities in the region, earlier stated Basurgin. Engels hosts a strategic bomber military base that has been targeted multiple times since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
While no immediate information was available on the base damage or the scale of the Ukrainian attack, video footage shared by Russian news SHOT channel on Telegram showed a high-rise residential building in Saratov with its side damaged and several windows blown out across three floors. In Engels, the top floor of a residential building was damaged. Reuters has not independently verified these reports, and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Both nations claim they do not target civilians and aim to destroy infrastructure crucial for war efforts.
(With agencies. )