In the early hours of Monday, Aug. 26, drones struck high-rise buildings in the Russian city of Saratov and across the Volga River in Engels, according to the governor of Saratov Oblast, Roman Busargin. One person sustained serious injuries in the attack.
"A woman was hospitalized in a critical condition. Doctors are fighting to save her life," wrote the regional head on his Telegram channel.
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A video published by the local news outlet shows drones hitting the high-rise buildings. However, the Kremlin claims that all drones were shot down by air defense systems, with only debris hitting the buildings.
According to analysts from the Russian publication “Agentstvo,” the strikes were not caused by debris from drones shot down by air defense. However, this doesn't mean the high-rise buildings were the intended targets.
In both cases, the strikes hit new buildings that may not have been marked on the maps used by Ukrainian forces. Judging by the drones' flight paths, their real targets may have been the Engels-2 airbase, where strategic bombers Tu-160 and Tu-95MS are stationed (just 4.5 km from the impact site), or a military plant in Saratov, writes "Agentstvo."
Videos posted on Telegram channels show that a drone strike in Engels hit the new 25-story "Engels City 4" building, completed in 2021.
"Agentstvo" experts suggest that, based on the drone's trajectory before the strike, its actual target might have been the Engels-2 airbase, which houses strategic bombers Tu-160 and Tu-95MS (located 4.5 km from the impact site), or the 356th Aviation Repair Plant, which services Mi-8 helicopters (3.5 km from the impact site).
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, December, 20, 2024
Last night, Kyiv allegedly launched 20 drones over Russian territory, striking in the Saratov, Kursk, Belgorod, Bryansk, Tula, Oryol, and Ryazan regions. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, all drones were destroyed by air defense forces.
Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported on his Telegram channel that two FPV drones attacked a car on the road between Krasnaya Yaruga and Vyazovoe. Two civilians were injured in the attack. According to him, a man and a 17-year-old girl suffered blast injuries, a concussion, and multiple shrapnel wounds. They received first aid at a local hospital.
At the time of publication, the Ukrainian side has not commented on the incident, while Kyiv Post sources in Ukrainian special services said that the information is being clarified.
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