Last night, Ukrainian drones hit the Volgograd-Rostov railway section again, now setting fires at Kotelnikovo station and forcing Russian authorities to restrict train traffic. The attack caused blazes at an electrical substation. Kotelnikovo is situated around 400 km east of the frontline.

Drones strike Kotelnikovo station on Volgograd-Rostov railway

Telegram channels and OSINT analysts reported that a night drone strike set the Kotelnikovo station area in Russia’s Volgograd oblast on fire. Videos from local residents showed burning railway infrastructure, including a traction substation. Fires were visible across the station area, while the governor of Volgograd oblast, Andrei Bocharov, confirmed that movement of trains was temporarily restricted.

Bocharov wrote, as cited by Astra, that Russian air defenses allegedly repelled what he described as a massive drone attack on transport and energy facilities. He claimed there were no injuries. The governor added that dry grass ostensibly caught fire in Surovikino district and that specialists were working to restore gas supply to about 65 single-family homes in Kotelnikovsky district.

According to him, sappers are clearing drone wreckage from railway tracks near Tinguta station in Svetloyarsky district.

“To clear the wreckage of the drones located on the railway tracks, train traffic was temporarily restricted. No damage to the tracks was recorded,” Bocharov claimed.

Satellite data confirms multiple fires around Kotelnikovo

OSINT analyst Tatarigami, founder of Frontelligence Insight, highlighted numerous heat signatures detected by NASA FIRMS satellites around Kotelnikovo after the night attack. He added that geolocation data confirmed the fires were in the area of the railway’s electrical substation.

He noted that this was another strike on the same Volgograd-Rostov railway section.

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Ukrainian drones turned Russia’s Salsk station into a firestorm — fuel train destroyed (video)

“Another successful drone strike targeted the same railway section between Volgograd and Rostov-on-Don. Multiple fires are visible,” Tatarigami posted. 

This marks the fourth strike on the same Russian rail line since 27 July. On 29 July, drones hit Salsk, a key rail junction in Rostov Oblast, setting a fuel train at the station on fire. The same night, they also struck the railway’s power substation in Orlovsky. Two days earlier, on 27 July, another drone attack destroyed a traction substation in Zhutovo in Volgograd Oblast, causing major delays and forcing Russian trains to be rerouted.

Similar drone strikes also took place two weeks ago in Rostov oblast, hitting a rail station in Kamienolomni on 21 July and a railway substation in Novocherkassk on 23 July. 

The Penza drone attack hit deep inside Russia overnight on 31 July, igniting a major fire at a factory that produces equipment for the Russian military. Regional authorities confirmed a large fire at the plant after residents posted videos of drones flying low over the city. The factory is more than 600 km from Ukraine.

Penza drone attack hits a factory producing military systems

Telegram channels reported that in the early hours of 31 July, Ukrainian long-range strike drones flew over Penza and attacked an industrial site. Local residents filmed the drones passing over houses, followed by several explosions and a fire in the industrial zone. Mobile internet was shut down during the air alert.

Penza Oblast governor Oleg Melnichenko admitted in the morning that a drone attack caused a fire at one of the industrial facilities.

“There are no casualties and no destruction. There is a fire on the territory of the enterprise, which is now being eliminated,” he wrote.

Local reports and Russia’s official version

The Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine identified the target as the Radioworks factory in Penza, an important enterprise of the Russian military-industrial complex.

Melnichenko wrote that the fire began after an overnight drone attack and that damage control continued in the morning. Social media videos posted from Penza show columns of smoke rising above the factory buildings and the sound of explosions in the distance.

In its daily report, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that its forces allegedly shot down 32 drones in five Russian oblasts and in Russian-occupied Crimea during the night. The ministry did not list Penza Oblast among those locations.

As of the morning, local officials reported that firefighting operations continued at the industrial site. No casualties have been confirmed. The strike reached deep into Russian territory, underlining the range of Ukrainian drone operations.

Ukrainian drones struck deep into Russian territory overnight on 29 July, igniting a massive blaze at a railway hub in Rostov Oblast and cutting power to large parts of occupied Donetsk Oblast. The coordinated strikes disrupted rail traffic, left thousands stranded, and caused a widespread blackout.

Massive fire after drones hit Salsk station

According to Russian news Telegram channel Astra, drones attacked Salsk, a major junction in Rostov Oblast about 250 km from the frontline, overnight on 29 July. Local residents reported a large fire at the station after explosions shook the city. Witnesses said they saw drones overhead while Russian troops tried to shoot them down with rifles.

The head of Salsk district stated that two fuel tankers and a locomotive were hit. Telegram channels published images showing rail platforms engulfed in flames, with one picture appearing to show a burning military truck on a flatbed railcar.

Damage, alleged casualties, and chaos at the rail hub

The attack caused fires that temporarily shut down traffic through the station. Russian Railways claimed that debris from drones damaged the overhead lines and shattered windows in two cars of passenger train No. 59 Novokuznetsk–Kislovodsk. Passengers were evacuated, but later returned to the train. A passenger told Astra,

“It seems everything is fine. We are on the train now. It moved a bit and stopped again. Everyone is alive.”

Local officials claimed that a parked car was destroyed by a blast, killing its driver. Emergency services deployed 45 people and 12 vehicles to fight the fire.

Russian Railways said that at least nine long-distance trains were delayed after the strike.  Service at Salsk station was suspended for several hours. Later, the company announced that limited operations resumed.

Train substation also struck

Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ also reported a fire at Orlovsky train line power substation in Rostov Oblast, publishing videos of the strike and fire. The facility is about 400 km from the frontline.

The governor of Rostov Oblast claimed the region was hit by a mass drone attack affecting Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Salsk, Volgodonsk, Bokovsky and Tarasovsky districts. In Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, falling drone debris allegedly ignited dry grass. 

Power knocked out in occupied Donetsk Oblast

The same night, drones struck the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast. A local resident of Makiivka said that incoming drones kept hitting for over 40 minutes, destroying the Chaykyne 330 power substation. He described the station as “knocked out completely.”

Russia’s occupation authorities stated that at least 150,000 people in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast’s part lost power after the strike. Local reports said that one of the drones also hit the Donbas Palace hotel in Donetsk city.

Analysts highlight precise planning

Analyst Tatarigami, a former Ukrainian officer and founder of Frontelligence Insight, noted that over the three days, “Ukrainian long-range drone strikes have dealt a tangible logistical blow to a rail line linking the military and industrial hubs of Volgograd and Rostov-on-Don.” The latest Ukrainian drone strikes demonstrate a systematic approach with deliberate target selection aimed at crippling Russian military logistics, he said.

Tatarigami wrote that the strike on the fuel-laden train in Salsk shows Ukraine had detailed intelligence and timed the attack precisely to cause maximum disruption to rail movements serving military needs. He also assessed that one of the destroyed buildings at Salsk station was a signal control station, based on its location, visible exterior and equipment.

As part of the same wave of strikes, he noted that a traction substation called Dvoynaya in Orlovskiy in Rostov Oblast was set on fire and will likely remain out of service for some time. He emphasized that such strikes hit the infrastructure that keeps Russian military supplies moving.

On 27 July, another Ukrainian drone strike destroyed a traction substation in Zhutovo in Volgograd Oblast, forcing major delays and rerouting of Russian trains.

Russian defense ministry claims

Russia’s defense ministry claimed that air defenses shot down 74 Ukrainian drones during the night, including 22 over Rostov Oblast, 43 over Bryansk Oblast, six over Kaluga Oblast, two over Smolensk Oblast and one over Leningrad Oblast. Despite these claims, confirmed video evidence from Astra shows extensive fires and destruction at the Salsk station.

A railway power substation in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast burned after a night drone raid that caused explosions and a massive blaze near Zhutovo station. The strike cut electricity to rail lines, and forced flight restrictions across the area.

Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ reported that the substation supplies power to railway lines close to a fuel depot, and the fire started after the strike.

Exilenova+ also published photos showing damage to a building near the railways, and said that “also during the night, a technical building at Zhutovo station was attacked. Privolzhskaya Railway reported train delays due to falling UAV debris at Zhutovo station in Volgograd oblast.”

The attack led to a temporary shutdown of flights from Volgograd Airport. Restrictions remained in place from 00:40 to 07:30 local time as the damage was contained and power was restored to the rail network. 

A similar drone strike took place on 21 July in Rostov oblast, hitting a rail station in Kamienolomni on 21 July and a railway substation in Novocherkassk on 23 July. 

A Novocherskassk drone strike overnight triggered explosions and fires at key infrastructure in southern Russia’s Rostov Oblast, disrupting transport, internet services, and damaging an energy facility. Despite official claims that only debris fell, local reports and videos suggest direct hits on strategic sites. Novocherkassk is located more than 200 km from the frontline.

Power station, railway, and telecom targeted in drone strike

In the early hours of 23 July, acting head of Rostov Oblast Yurii Slyusar claimed several areas came under drone attack, including Novocherskassk, as well as the Shakhty, Myasnykivskyi, Rodionovo-Nesvitaiskyi, and Aksaiskyi districts. He stated three people were allegedly injured and repeated the usual Russian narrative of “falling debris” causing damage.

The Russian news Telegram channel Astra, citing eyewitnesses, reported that both the railway station area and the Novocherskassk State District Power Station (DRES) were struck. The Ukrainian Telgram channel Exilenova+ shared videos, showing a direct hit reportedly on the station.

Following the blasts, traffic at a local railway crossing was halted, with one driver telling Astra that a jam quickly formed due to the closure.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed 33 drones were intercepted or destroyed overnight across its territory, 11 of them over Rostov Oblast. The ministry did not acknowledge any successful strikes, and made no reference to damage at infrastructure sites.

A fire at a Russian military-linked refinery broke out overnight on 22 July after Ukrainian drones targeted industrial sites in Russia’s Samara Oblast about 1,000 km from Ukraine. The targeted facility was the Novokuybyshevsk Petrochemical Company, one of Russia’s largest producers in the petrochemical and organic synthesis sectors. The facility plays a role in Russia’s weapons production by supplying raw materials used in artillery shells, aviation bombs, and other munitions.

Ukrainian drones hit explosives-linked chemical plant in Samara

Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ reported that the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces’ attack targeted the Novokuybyshevsk Petrochemical Company, which operates facilities producing chemicals such as benzene, acetone, phenol, and olefins. The Russian news Telegram channel Astra confirmed that drones hit the Novokuybyshevsk refinery, a Rosneft-owned site producing over 20 fuel types, including high-grade jet fuel and automotive oils.

Astra said that following the strike, a fire broke out at the facility and was later extinguished. Samara Oblast authorities acknowledged an attempted attack and claimed that several drones were shot down, while also imposing temporary mobile internet restrictions to assist military efforts in countering UAVs.

Drones target Russian airbase used for Shahed launches

Late on 21 July, Astra reported drone strikes on the Millerovo military airfield in Rostov Oblast. The airbase is frequently used to launch Shahed-type drones toward Ukrainian territory. The Iranian-designed Shahed drones can carry up to 90 kg of explosives, and Russia has been widely using them in its daily attacks against Ukrainian civilians.

Explosions erupted across Moscow and Rostov oblasts in the early hours of 19 July. Local reports described drone flyover sounds, fires, damaged infrastructure, and halted train services following a large-scale drone attack. However, no reports confirm any damage to key military or military-industrial infrastructure. 

Drone attack on Moscow

In Moscow Oblast, residents of Dmitrov and Zelenograd heard multiple explosions overnight. Russian news Telegram channel Astra posted footage showing burning debris in a field near Dmitrov. Locals wrote that “something fell in the field and exploded.” Messages in community chats described blasts from several locations within the Dmitrov district.

Astra quoted local officials saying a drone had been shot down, and its wreckage damaged a high-voltage power line in the area. Mikhail Shulavov, acting head of the Dmitrov district, confirmed the fall of debris, noted there were no injuries, and said repair crews were already fixing the line.

Pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Mash also reported explosions in Mozhaisk and Dmitrov. Baza, another Telegram channel, said six explosions occurred in Zelenograd.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobianin claimed Russian air defenses shot down 14 drones targeting the Russian capital. 

Drone attack on Rostov, and railway disruptions

In Rostov Oblast, acting head Yurii Sliusar claimed fires in Kamensk-Shakhtynskyi. Falling drone debris allegedly set multiple detached houses on fire and ostensibly injured one person.

Sliusar added that a transformer caught fire in Kamenskyi Raion, disabling a high-voltage line. As a result, five settlements lost power. According to Sliusar, about 2,000 people live in the blackout zone.

The drone strikes triggered major rail disruptions in Rostov Oblast. Passenger service was halted after the attack disabled power infrastructure on the Lykhaya–Zamchalovo railway segment or the Russian Railway (RZhD).

Astra cited passengers at Rostov station claiming they sat for hours in trains without ventilation or air conditioning. One said that “everything is immobilized” after a strong strike at Lykhaya station.

Russian Railways later confirmed that over 50 long-distance trains were delayed. Several regional electric trains were also canceled. Delays ranged from 1.5 to 3.5 hours. Later reports from RZhD said train service on the damaged line had resumed.

Drone strike reported in occupied Tokmak

Ukrainian Telegram channel Supernova+ posted footage of a fire in Russian-occupied Tokmak in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The caption reads:

“In Tokmak … after a UAV attack there is a healthy glow.”

Fire at military base in Rostov-on-Don

On the evening of 18 July, a fire broke out at a military facility in central Rostov-on-Don. Astra verified the location as military unit 74330 on Krasnoarmeiska Street, near Sokolova Avenue. 

Local media had earlier reported a fire in the same area.

Drone strikes hit Tula and Voronezh overnight, and reached Moscow Oblast, piercing Russian air defenses in an alleged Ukrainian UAV raids. Russia claimed to intercept 122 drones. The extent of the damage from the attack remains unclear.

Ukraine targets military infrastructure in Tula

Russian news Telegram channel Astra reports that in the early hours of 17 July, drones targeted Russian facilities in Tula Oblast. Explosions thundered in Novomoskovsk, where key military-industrial sites are located, Liga reported. In Shchyokino, Tula Oblast, local residents reported a fire breaking out after a drone attack.

According to Ukrainian Telegram channel Supernova+, the Azot chemical plant in Shchyokino was hit directly during the attack. The M-500 methanol production unit was reportedly damaged. The plant carried out emergency technical procedures in response. Azot is one of Tula Oblast’s key chemical industry sites, producing ammonia, methanol, and other nitrogen-based compounds used in explosives and defense-related manufacturing.

Tula Oblast head Dmitri Milyaev said that as of 06:00, the threat of more drone attacks remained active in the oblast. Later, he claimed that drone “debris” fell on the premises of an unnamed enterprise.

Ukraine pierces Russian air defenses: drone strikes hit Tula, Voronezh

Russia claims it downed 122 Ukrainian drones last night.https://t.co/LHXY6IM02z
#1-3 Tula, #4 Roslavl, by TG/Supernova+ pic.twitter.com/VBE27i8sPd

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 17, 2025

Drone strikes hit Voronezh

Drone strikes hit Tula and Voronezh nearly simultaneously. In Voronezh, drones reached deep into the city, with one, possible shot down by Russia’s air defenses, reportedly striking two floors of a high-rise residential building in the city’s left-bank area.

Governor Aleksandr Gusev claimed that air defenses had destroyed at least five UAVs over Voronezh Oblast, yet later acknowledged that fragments had struck a residential tower. The authorities claim four civilians were injured.

Moscow also under threat amid massive drone wave

Mayor Sergei Sobianin claimed that three drones were allegedly intercepted while attempting to enter Moscow’s airspace. Loud blasts were reported in Zelenograd. Residents described multiple explosion-like sounds during the night. The drone assault affected aviation. Departures and arrivals at Vnukovo Airport were delayed as a precaution during the strikes.

In Smolensk Oblast, local residents reported a strike on the town of Roslavl, home to a key aviation support plant under the Rostec conglomerate, according to Astra.

Russia claims 122 drones downed across 13 oblasts

Russia’s Ministry of Defense alleged that Ukrainian drones targeted at least 13 oblasts overnight, claiming 122 UAVs were shot down. According to the ministry, most drones were intercepted over Bryansk, Kursk, and Oryol oblasts. Additional UAVs were allegedly downed over Voronezh, Tula, Moscow Oblast, occupied Crimea, and several others.

Ukraine hits four weapons factories in Tula, a regional capital next to Moscow, in a continuing effort to degrade Russia’s defense production capabilities. The drone offensive also struck other military-linked sites across Moscow Oblast, Kursk, Taganrog, Lipetsk, Orsk, and beyond, according to multiple reports. The full extent of damage is currently unknown.

Kamikaze drones strike deep into Tula’s defense industry

Four military-industrial facilities were struck in Tula and Tula Oblast overnight on 11 July, according to reporting by Russian news Telegram channel Astra. 

• Astra confirms that in Tula, drones hit the JSC Design Bureau of Instrument-Making, causing a fire in the administrative building. The same facility was previously attacked in June, when strikes damaged warehouses, a loading hangar, and a power substation — halting operations entirely at the time.
• Also in Tula, drones were shot down directly over the NPO SPLAV plant, which produces multiple launch rocket systems. 
• The fourth site struck was the Aleksinsky Experimental Mechanical Plant in Aleksin, Tula Oblast. Drone debris reportedly fell on the grounds of Workshop No. 4. The plant is involved in producing non-standard equipment for manufacturing explosives and solid propellants, and operates under the state defense-linked Techmash group.
• In addition, Astra reported that a drone hit the Azot chemical plant in Novomoskovsk, also in Tula Oblast. The facility supplies nitric acid used in producing octogen and hexogen — key components of artillery munitions. It had previously been struck in both May and June.

Ukraine struck four weapons factories in Tula overnight, targeting Russia’s defense industry deep inside its territory. Drone attacks also hit sites in Moscow Oblast, Kursk, Taganrog, Lipetsk, Orsk, and more.



TG/Exilenova+, Supernova+ – the clips show the Tula attack. pic.twitter.com/R9CKsNg6YS

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 11, 2025

Drone offensive spreads beyond Tula to Moscow Oblast and other regions

According to Astra and Ukrainian Telegram channels, Exilenova+ and Supernova+, drones also targeted several high-value military and industrial targets in other parts of Russia overnight on 11 July.

• In Dubna, Moscow Oblast, explosions were reported near the Kronstadt Group facility — a drone development site previously attacked in May. Exilenova+ claimed the site was hit again and shared video evidence from the location.
• In Lukhovitsy, also Moscow Oblast, Ukrainian Liutyi long-range drones targeted and reportedly hit the Lukhovitsky Aviation Plant, a facility belonging to the MiG aircraft corporation under Rostec. Astra reports that at least two drones impacted the compressor station on the plant’s grounds, partially collapsing one wall. The nearby Lukhovitsy fuel depot was also in the vicinity of the strike zone. 

Lukhovitsy (Moscow Oblast): Ukrainian Liutyi drones reportedly struck the Lukhovitsky Aviation Plant, part of the MiG aircraft corporation. Astra said two drones hit a compressor station, causing partial collapse of one wall.

TG/Exilenova+, Supernova+ pic.twitter.com/Fa2E386F3T

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 11, 2025

More facilities targeted across Russian territory

Further strikes were reported in multiple other oblasts:

• Kursk Oblast — Drones hit industrial sites in Belyovsky and Kurchatovsky districts. The local governor stated that fires broke out in production areas. In one case, a warehouse reportedly burned after a UAV strike. 
• Taganrog, Rostov Oblast — A UAV was allegedly neutralized near the Beriev aircraft plant. The city’s mayor claimed that debris ostensibly fell onto the factory grounds. Such wording from local officials is often a euphemistic way to report a direct hit. Supernova+ shared footage, showing Ukrainian drones flying over the area.

Taganrog, Rostov Oblast — A UAV was allegedly neutralized near the Beriev aircraft plant.

The city’s mayor claimed that debris ostensibly fell onto the factory grounds. Such wording from local officials is often a euphemistic way to report a direct hit.

Supernova+ shared… pic.twitter.com/LzwhxNcQBP

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 11, 2025

• Lipetsk Oblast — The regional head claimed a drone fell on an agricultural enterprise in Khlevensky district, causing a fire and ostensibly resulting in casualties. 
• Orsk, Orenburg Oblast — Astra and Exilenova+ report that the Orsk Mechanical Plant, a key producer of artillery shell casings and rocket system components, experienced a fire inside its paint shop. Exilenova+ says the sabotage is suspected.
• Saint Petersburg — Rosaviatsia claimed that Pulkovo airport suspended flights temporarily due to security concerns overnight on 11 July.
• In Zhukovsky, Moscow Oblast, the Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsia announced temporary flight restrictions during the night. The same agency later claimed the restrictions had been lifted as of the morning of 11 July.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed that a total of 155 drones were downed over Russian territory and occupied Crimea during the night. According to their statement, this included 13 over Tula Oblast, 11 over Moscow Oblast, and dozens across Kursk, Bryansk, Belgorod, Smolensk, and other areas. 

Update: Ukrainian military confirms some strikes

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that overnight on 11 July, Ukrainian drone units, together with other defense elements, struck two Russian military-industrial sites.

One target was the Lukhovitsky Aviation Plant in Moscow Oblast, which handles full-cycle MiG fighter jet production. Explosions were recorded at the site.

The second strike, carried out with support from Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces and the SBU, hit the Shipunov Design Bureau in Tula Oblast. The facility produces missiles for Russian air defense systems.

The General Staff said explosions, smoke, and emergency vehicle activity were observed near both targets. Damage is being assessed.