Residents of the cities of Saratov and Engels in Russia's Saratov Oblast reported hearing explosions and the sound of air-raid warnings in the early morning of 1 July. The acting Rostov Oblast governor has claimed that a drone attack has been repelled. Operations at four Russian airports have been suspended.

Source : Astra Telegram channel; acting Rostov Oblast Governor Yury Slyusar; Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin 

Details : At around 04:00, Busargin reported "a UAV threat" and that "all emergency services have been put on full alert".

Astra, citing local residents, reported that explosions had been heard in Saratov and Engels and that Saratov airport had suspended operations. Airports in Ulyanovsk (Ulyanovsk Oblast) and Kazan and Nizhnekamsk (Tatarstan) are also not operating.

Slyusar claimed that air defence systems had destroyed UAVs in Rostov-on-Don, Taganrog and Novoshakhtinsk and in the Millerovsky, Myasnikovsky, Aksaysky, Neklinovsky and Matveyevo-Kurgansky districts overnight.

He added that, according to early reports, no civilians had been injured.

The Russian Defence  Ministry claimed that 60 Ukrainian drones had been downed overnight over six Russian oblasts, temporarily occupied Crimea and the waters of the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.

In particular, 16 UAVs were downed over Rostov Oblast, five over Kursk Oblast, four over Saratov Oblast, two over Belgorod Oblast and one each over Voronezh and Oryol oblasts.

The statement said 17 drones had been destroyed over Crimea, 11 over the Sea  of Azov and three over the Black Sea.

For reference:Near the city of Engels is the Engels-2 military air base, which hosts Tu-95MS and Tu-160 aircraft belonging to Russia's 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division.

Taneco (Tatarstan Oil Refining Complex), one of Russia's largest oil refineries, is located in the city of Nizhnekamsk .

Near Nizhnekamsk is the city of Yelabuga, home to the Alabuga special economic zone where Russian Shahed attack drones are assembled.

These settlements are located over 1,000 kilometres from the border with Ukraine.

All the sites mentioned have been targeted by drones on multiple occasions.

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