In brief
In the early hours of August 2, Ukraine launched precision strikes deep inside Russia, targeting the Engels airfield in the Saratov region and a major oil refinery that supplies energy to the Russian military. The attacks also damaged an oil depot in Kaluga and a drone launch site in Bryansk, while a Wildberries warehouse was hit, sparking claims of a Ukrainian sabotage campaign. Russian officials reported eight dead, 635 drones intercepted and a warehouse fire, and counterblows on Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea. Both sides continue to intensify attacks on strategic infrastructure amid a largely static front line, with no breakthrough from international mediation.
In the early hours of Sunday, Ukrainian forces claimed a series of deep‑penetration strikes inside Russia, hitting a critical oil refinery in Saratov and the Engels airfield, a hub for Russia’s long‑range strategic aviation.
President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attacks as “our long‑range sanctions” against facilities that finance Moscow’s war. The Engels airfield, where Tu‑95MC and Tu‑160 bombers launch missile strikes, was reported to have triggered a blaze, causing damage to civilian infrastructure in Saratov and Engels, as confirmed by Governor Roman Busargin.
In addition, an oil depot in the Kaluga region and a drone launch site in Bryansk were struck. The Russian military responded, stating eight people were killed in the strikes and that 635 drones were shot down or intercepted. The same day, a Wildberries logistics warehouse in the Samara region was hit, causing a fire that Moscow called yet another terrorist act.
Russia also reported counterstrikes on two Ukrainian ports and vessels in the Black Sea, while a missile strike on a postal terminal near Kharkiv killed one person. Both sides have escalated attacks on major cities, energy facilities, and warehouses amid a largely static front line and stalled international mediation efforts.
The conflict, which began with Russia’s full‑scale invasion in February 2022, continues to see strategic infrastructure targeted, as both nations seek to disrupt the other’s supply chain and infrastructure while the front lines remain stationary.
