Massive fire continues at oil depot in Russia’s Engels airbase following Ukrainian drone strike
For the second consecutive day, Russian emergency services are battling to contain the blaze at the Rosrezerv oil depot in Engels, Saratov region, following a strike by Ukrainian drones.
On Thursday, January 9, regional governor Roman Busargin took to Telegram to report ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of the UAV attack, following an emergency commission meeting that included deputy head of Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ilya Denisov. Despite the escalating situation, Busargin assured that existing resources were sufficient, though additional equipment would be dispatched if necessary.
"Experts explain that it requires a certain amount of time for the burn-out process to complete. The situation is under control," Busargin added. Furthermore, he emphasized that residential buildings are not at risk. Air quality monitoring by Rospotrebnadzor indicates no violations in the vicinity of the blaze. The emergency regime is primarily intended to mobilize the operational services to maximize their resources for mitigation efforts.
In earlier statements, Busargin refrained from specifying which facility was affected, only referring to an "industrial enterprise." Meanwhile, as noted by the Russian Telegram channel 7x7 - Horizontal, local residents complain of smog, with some alleging their comments on Busargin’s Telegram posts are being removed.
The previous day's battle against the blaze claimed the lives of two emergency responders, according to the Saratov governor. Busargin also reported that while the drones were allegedly intercepted by air defense, debris hit the industrial site in Engels.
Radio Svoboda and several Telegram channels pinpointed the location of the fire to the Rosrezerv's "Crystal" oil depot, which supplies fuel to the strategic military airbase Engels-2, home to Russian strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons and routinely launching missile strikes on Ukraine.
As of 2023, it was the sole airfield hosting Tu-160 strategic bombers. The Russian Ministry of Defense has claimed that 11 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight in the Saratov region. Ukraine, for its part, acknowledged targeting the oil storage in Engels. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the destruction of the oil depot created logistical challenges for the Russian military, significantly undermining its capacity to execute strikes on Ukrainian cities and civilian targets.