Ukraine Stages Drone Attack on Russia’s Saratov Region, Causing Big Fire

 In this photo released by Governor of the Saratov region Roman Busargin telegram channel on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, firefighters and rescuers work at the industrial side damaged after Ukrainian drones' attack in Saratov, Russia. (Governor of the Saratov region Roman Busargin telegram channel via AP)
In this photo released by Governor of the Saratov region Roman Busargin telegram channel on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, firefighters and rescuers work at the industrial side damaged after Ukrainian drones' attack in Saratov, Russia. (Governor of the Saratov region Roman Busargin telegram channel via AP)
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Ukraine Stages Drone Attack on Russia’s Saratov Region, Causing Big Fire

 In this photo released by Governor of the Saratov region Roman Busargin telegram channel on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, firefighters and rescuers work at the industrial side damaged after Ukrainian drones' attack in Saratov, Russia. (Governor of the Saratov region Roman Busargin telegram channel via AP)
In this photo released by Governor of the Saratov region Roman Busargin telegram channel on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, firefighters and rescuers work at the industrial side damaged after Ukrainian drones' attack in Saratov, Russia. (Governor of the Saratov region Roman Busargin telegram channel via AP)

Ukrainian drones struck deep inside Russia overnight and attacked the Saratov region, causing a major fire in the city of Engels, the local governor said on Wednesday.

The region hosts a major air base for strategic bomber planes that form part of Russia's nuclear forces. Ukraine has attacked the base with drones before, but there was no word on whether it had been targeted on this occasion.

Russian news reports said the fire was at an oil facility. Unverified videos and photos published on social media showed a large fire burning with orange flames, sending thick clouds of smoke into the night sky.

Regional governor Roman Busargin said the cities of Saratov and Engels, on opposite sides of the Volga river, had been subject to a "mass drone attack" and there was a fire at an industrial site, but that there were no known casualties.

"There are sufficient forces and resources to localize the fire," he posted on Telegram.

Russia's defense ministry said in a statement that 11 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed overnight over the Saratov region, and 21 over other parts of Russia and the Azov Sea. It did not mention any damage.

The Engels air base is located about 730 km (450 miles) southeast of Moscow and hundreds of kilometers from the Ukrainian border. In December 2022, three Russian air force personnel were killed when a drone was shot down there.

Independent news outlet Astra said the oil depot where the fire was burning provided fuel for the air base. Reuters was not immediately able to confirm that.



Protest Against Gaza War Prevents Israeli Visitors from Touring Greek Island

Two empty chairs stand on a beach as people cool off during a heat wave, near Athens, Greece, 22 July 2025. (EPA)
Two empty chairs stand on a beach as people cool off during a heat wave, near Athens, Greece, 22 July 2025. (EPA)
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Protest Against Gaza War Prevents Israeli Visitors from Touring Greek Island

Two empty chairs stand on a beach as people cool off during a heat wave, near Athens, Greece, 22 July 2025. (EPA)
Two empty chairs stand on a beach as people cool off during a heat wave, near Athens, Greece, 22 July 2025. (EPA)

A cruise ship carrying Israeli tourists left the Greek island of Syros Tuesday without its passengers disembarking, after more than 150 protesters demonstrated at the island’s port, unfurling Palestinian flags and calling for an end to the war in Gaza.

Carrying banners that read: “Stop the Genocide” and “No a/c in hell” — a reference to the conditions Palestinians face in the Gaza Strip — the protesters chanted slogans on the dock near where the cruise ship, the Crown Iris, was docked on Tuesday, local media said. There were no reports of any violence.

The ship is operated by an Israeli company, Mano Cruise, which said about 1,700 passengers were on board and it is sailing to Cyprus.

Greece’s coast guard said the ship set sail at around 3 p.m., earlier than originally scheduled, but did not immediately have any further details.

“The management of Mano Cruise has decided in light of the situation in the city of Syros to now sail to another tourist destination,” the company said in a press release. “All passengers and crew members are resting and spending time on the ship on their way to the new destination.”

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar contacted his Greek counterpart, George Gerapetritis, over the incident, the Greek foreign ministry confirmed. It did not release any details of their discussion.