In the early hours of July 29, a powerful and coordinated drone attack targeted Russia’s Rostov Oblast, a key region near the border with Ukraine. One of the most serious strikes took place in the town of Salsk, where a railway station caught fire, sending massive flames into the sky.
🔥 Attack Hits Key Russian Town Salsk Near War Zone
Local residents posted videos of the fire online, showing a large blaze at the railway station. These videos were geolocated by Russian media channels, confirming the location as the Salsk railway station, which is known for playing a major role in transporting supplies for Russian military operations near the front line.
According to Russian officials, the fire caused significant damage to railway equipment. Overhead power lines were damaged, and train traffic had to be stopped completely through Salsk. This caused a temporary shutdown of this important transportation hub.
In one tragic incident during the attack, a civilian vehicle was hit, resulting in the death of the driver. The vehicle was reportedly near the station when it was struck during the chaos. The acting governor of Rostov Oblast confirmed this fatality in an official statement posted online.
⚡ Drones Also Target Homes and Power Stations
The town of Salsk, located roughly 200 kilometers southeast of the occupied Donetsk region, was not the only place hit. Local officials claimed that Ukrainian drones struck additional areas in and around Salsk, including residential homes and vehicles.
Another fire was reported near the small village of Orlovsky, also in Rostov Oblast. In this case, a traction substation — which provides power to nearby railway systems — was reportedly struck by a drone. Such substations are important because they help run trains across the railway network. Disabling them causes serious delays and interruptions in both military and civilian transportation.
The full scale of the damage caused by the drone attack is still being assessed. However, these strikes clearly disrupted key parts of the region’s infrastructure.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that 74 drones were launched by Ukraine across different parts of Russia that night. According to them, all drones were either shot down or neutralized before causing larger damage. Still, some drones appear to have made it through defenses, hitting crucial logistics points.
🚂 Railways and Fuel Depots: New Targets in the Conflict
This is not the first time that Ukrainian drones have hit railways or supply depots in this region. The Rostov Oblast, due to its location close to Ukraine and the Sea of Azov, has long been considered a key logistical base for Russian forces. It helps move troops, fuel, ammunition, and other military supplies toward occupied territories and active war zones.
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Just last week, on the night of July 21, another major fire broke out at a train station in the village of Kamenolomni, also in Rostov Oblast. That incident also caused visible damage to the railway station’s building, although no casualties were reported.
Military analysts believe that Ukraine is increasingly using drones to hit fuel depots, power stations, ammunition stockpiles, and rail lines deep inside Russian territory. While Ukrainian military officials usually do not confirm these strikes publicly, drone attacks on Russian territory have become more frequent in recent months.
The scale and precision of this latest attack on July 29 suggest a well-coordinated strike, possibly aimed at slowing down Russia’s supply chain in the region. With damaged power lines, halted trains, and civilian casualties, the consequences of this night’s assault were immediately visible.
As of now, Ukrainian officials have not issued any public statement confirming their role in the attack. However, similar drone operations have been a part of Ukraine’s strategy to weaken Russia’s logistical strength without sending in ground troops.