Аннотация:The profile comprising a series of lower Aptian sections from Ul’yanovsk to Saratov in the Russian Plate has been studied. It is shown that the unit of organic-rich rocks is characterized by the lack of bioturbation and elevated concentration of many chemical elements. The petrography and geochemistry of organic matter (OM) indicate the prevalence of basinal OM in carbonaceous sediments, while continental OM dominates in host rocks. Sedimentological, biotic, and geochemical data testify to the deposition of organic-rich sediments under anoxic conditions. The anoxic environment in the Aptian basin of the Russian Plate correlates with the global OASE-1a anoxic event. The mechanism of Aptian carbonaceous sedimentation is discussed.