Russian southern regions faced drone attacks overnight on 18 August, with debris from a downed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hitting a diesel fuel depot in southeastern Rostov Oblast, causing a fire.

Regional governor Vasily Golubev said a firefighting train was deployed to extinguish the blaze. He said no one was injured in the air attack in Proletarsk.

Ukraine’s General Staff reported that Ukraine struck at the Kavkaz plant in the Russian Rostov Oblast, where oil products for the military needs of the Russian army were stored.

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that five fixed-wing drones were shot down during the night over Belgorod, Kursk, and Rostov oblasts. The ministry announced the downing of an additional UAV over Belgorod Oblast.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Russian oblasts have regularly experienced combat drone incursions. The Russian Defense Ministry claims these attacks originate from Ukraine, though Kyiv usually does not comment on such reports.

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