Ukrainian drones strike multiple Russian regions in overnight attack
In the early hours of Friday, March 28, Ukrainian drones launched yet another massive assault on several Russian regions. The Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting and destroying approximately 80 Ukrainian drones. Among these, 32 were downed over the Voronezh region, 19 over Saratov, 17 in Kursk, six in Belgorod, two in Lipetsk, and one each in the Rostov and Tambov regions.
In the wake of these events, a Rosaviatsiya representative announced that restrictions were imposed on the arrival and departure of aircraft at Saratov Airport. Local residents of Saratov and Engels reportedly heard numerous explosions in the sky throughout the night. According to Ukrainian media, citing geolocation data, there was a “hit” at the Research Institute of Chemical Power Sources in Saratov. Media outlet ASTRA geolocated a video depicting the destruction of one of the drones over Saratov and concluded that a possible target could have been a local oil refinery.
Saratov's Governor, Roman Busargin, stated that preliminary reports indicate there were no casualties or damage to civilian infrastructure. This is not the first time the Saratov region has been targeted by Ukrainian drones, largely due to the military airfield located in the vicinity of Engels.
Meanwhile, Voronezh region's governor, Alexander Gusev, reported the downing of 30 drones, affirming that there were no casualties.