Russian authorities are still struggling to contain a fire near the Kazakhstan border, which broke out following the latest Ukrainian attack on the country's energy infrastructure.
On Thursday morning, Saratov Governor Roman Busargin said that emergency services continued to work "on site around the clock" in order to address "the consequences of the UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] attack" that hit an oil storage facility.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries via email for comment.
Why It Matters
According to Ukraine's General Staff, the destruction of the Kristall Plant will "creates serious logistical problems for the strategic aviation of the Russians."
The Engels-2 military airfield, which it said the plant serves, has been the springboard of aerial attacks against Ukrainian forces and cities since the early days of the invasion.
What To Know?
The Saratov governor on Wednesday said that Ukrainian UAVs had been shot down by Russian forces in the city of Engels, and that falling debris had ignited a fire at one of the city's industrial facilities.
The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces later said that the strike had resulted in a "large-scale fire" at the Kristall Plant facility.
Footage shared on social media shows the extent of the fire caused by Wednesday's attack. Telegram channel Astra, citing local residents, said that more tanks had caught fire as Russian authorities attempted to contain the initial blaze.
On Thursday morning, Saratov Governor Busargin said that an emergency meeting had been convened in Engels to discuss the fallout from the UAV attack, and that, while the situation was "under control," "a certain amount of time would be needed to complete the burnout process" at the plant.
Busargin had earlier instated a state of emergency in Engels and reported the death of two firemen from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.
According to state-run Ukrainian outlet United24, Engels-2 is one of only two airfields to house Russia's Tu-160 bombers, reportedly employed in Russia's combined aerial attack on Ukraine in mid-November, one of the largest in recent months.
Pro-Ukrainian trade outlet Defense Express reported that the strike on the Kristall oil depot could result in the bomber being "grounded completely" or having its operations "significantly limited."
What People Are Saying
Alexander Kamyshin, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky for strategic affairs, via X, formerly Twitter, said: "Engels on fire, your defense is terrified. Yet another Russian oil depot, serving military airfield, was hit by long range capabilities."
Ukraine's General Staff, via Telegram: "The destruction of the oil depot creates serious logistical problems for the strategic aviation of the Russian occupiers and significantly reduces their ability to strike peaceful Ukrainian cities and civilian objects."
Saratov Governor Roman Busargin, via Telegram on Wednesday afternoon: "At the site of the fire in Engels, a meeting of the operational headquarters was held. All services continue to work in an enhanced mode. There is no threat to residential buildings."
What Happens Next?
Russian officials have not yet evaluated the damage caused by Wednesday's attack, or issued a comment on how they may respond to Ukraine's UAV raid, which forms part of its wider strategy to target Moscow's energy infrastructure, seen as a critical source of both fuel and funds for its armed forces.
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