Drone strike hits Russian oil refinery and Ozon warehouse in Saratov

Around 2:00 a.m. local time, Saratov Regional Governor Roman Busargin issued an early warning to residents about a potential drone threat in the area.

“We’ve received information from the Ministry of Defense of a potential UAV attack,” Busargin said. “Local warning sirens may go off in areas that are at risk, and all emergency services have been placed on full alert.”

The governor has not addressed the reported strikes on the refinery.

The Saratov facility, operated by state-owned oil giant Rosneft since 2013, was founded in 1934 and is one of Russia's oldest oil refineries.

This marks at least the 16th Ukrainian drone attack targeting the refinery since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Independent monitoring groups also reported that the overnight strike sparked a fire at a warehouse owned by Ozon, Russia’s largest e-commerce company.

Local officials and company representatives have not yet commented on the extent of the damage or any casualties.

Residents of Saratov reported explosions and fires overnight on September 8 as local authorities warned of an incoming drone attack, which OSINT analysts say likely targeted the Saratov Oil Refinery.