In the early hours of 1 September, Ukrainian drones struck a critical transformer substation in the southern Russian town of Kropotkin, Krasnodar Krai, igniting a massive fire and disabling the infrastructure that powered one of southern Russia’s key railway hubs.

Ukrainian drones ignite Kropotkin substation, disabling strategic logistics node

According to Russian Telegram channel Astra, the attack triggered a blaze at the substation servicing the Kavkazskaya railway station in Kropotkin. The local operational headquarters confirmed the incident, attributing the fire to debris from downed drones. Officials claimed there were no casualties.

“We’re dying from the smoke on Zheleznodorozhnaya [Steet],” read one message, while others noted unbearable conditions on Shevchenko Street.

Videos and reports shared by Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ identified the substation as the 330kV Kropotkin transformer, which supplied power to the regional energy system and to critical railway lines connecting the North Caucasus with Rostov, Kuban, and the Black Sea ports.

The Kavkazskaya station, a railway junction, plays a crucial role in transporting freight, including grain and oil products, and in moving military hardware and personnel toward northern Russia and occupied Crimea. Disrupting this link complicates Russia’s ability to sustain operations in multiple directions.

Strategic targeting of Russian railway infrastructure continues

Just a week earlier, Ukrainian drones hit a railway hub and locomotive depot in the town of Petrov Val, Volgograd Oblast — approximately 350 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

On 17 August, drones attacked the Liski railway station in Voronezh Oblast, one of the largest junctions in the South-Eastern Railway system. That strike brought train traffic to a halt. The station is actively used by Russian forces to transport military equipment and personnel.

Broader drone campaign spans multiple regions

In its morning update, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that 50 drones had been intercepted overnight across various regions. According to its statement, 16 were shot down over the Black Sea, 12 over Belgorod Oblast, 7 over the Azov Sea, and several others across Saratov, Samara, Orenburg oblasts, the Republic of Tatarstan, and Krasnodar Krai itself.