General Staff confirms strikes on Russian refinery, air base and drone launch site

Ukraine's Defense Forces conducted strikes against key Russian targets overnight on August 2, according to the country's General Staff. The Engels air base in Saratov Oblast, the Saratov oil refinery, an oil depot in Kaluga Oblast, and a facility for storing and launching attack drones in Bryansk Oblast were among the sites targeted.

The Saratov refinery, one of Russia's largest oil-processing facilities in the Volga region, is a vital supply for the country's defense industry and armed forces, with an annual capacity of roughly 7 million metric tons of crude oil. This refinery has faced at least 15 strikes since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with the latest attack occurring on May 31.

Ukrainian forces also targeted the Engels air base, which serves as a launching point for Russia's Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers. In addition, an oil depot in Lyudinovo, Kaluga Oblast, and a drone launch facility in Bryansk Oblast were hit. Another oil refinery suffered a fire in Ufa on August 2, with the Bashneft facility producing various fuels, including gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas, diesel, and aviation fuel, with an annual processing capacity of around 7 million metric tons of oil.

The exact cause of the Ufa attack remains unconfirmed by Ukraine. Furthermore, a Wildberries logistics center in Novosemeykino, Samara Oblast, was under attack overnight on August 2, representing a significant blow to the company's logistics operations in Russia's Volga region.