Drones attacked Russia’s Rostov Oblast with “three or four loud explosions” heard in the city overnight on 18 December, according to Russian Telegram channels.
Video footage allegedly showing drone flights over the city has emerged on social media.
Since late 2023, Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone attacks against Russian, in particular, against the military and fuel facilities within Russia, significantly disrupting fuel and ammunition supplies crucial for the Russian military.
Rostov Oblast is located approximately 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Ukrainian border. The city of Rostov-on-Don is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the nearest point on the Ukrainian border.
Petro Andriushchenko, former advisor to the mayor of Mariupol, said that the fire was recorded on the territory of the Rostselmash plant in Rostov Oblast. This facility, in particular, modernizes and repairs armored vehicles. Debris reportedly also fell in the area of the Rostvertol plant, which specializes in helicopter manufacturing.
According to Petro Andriushchenko, the fact that the Russian Ministry of Defense did not mention Rostov-on-Don at all is evidence that “it hit exactly where it needed to, and the consequences are such that it’s better to stay silent about them.”
The Russian Defense Ministry later claimed to have intercepted four Ukrainian drones. Two drones reportedly were intercepted over Belgorod Oblast and one each over Bryansk and Kursk oblasts.
In a separate incident in the Voronezh Oblast, acting Head of Rossosh district Beresnev said that Russian air defense forces in the district detected and destroyed two Ukrainian UAVs. There were reportedly no casualties or destruction.
Read also:
- Russian Rostov Oblast’s oil depot on fire after Ukraine’s drone attack (video)
- Allegedly Ukrainian drones hit Russia’s Krasnodar Krai and Rostov Oblast
- Ukraine allegedly targets Russia’s Volgograd, Rostov, Kursk, and Astrakhan oblasts
