Drones hit Rostov-on-Don for the second straight night—OSINT monitors say the military airbase was likely the target again
The local authorities confirmed more than 50 drones downed overnight but said nothing about the airfield where Ukraine reportedly destroyed three aircraft and three helicopters the previous night.
Ukrainian drones launched strikes on Rostov-on-Don for the second night in a row, with OSINT channels suggesting the military airbase may have been the target again, according to Militarnyi on September 18. The previous night's attack also struck the same installation, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claiming the destruction of three military aircraft and three helicopters at the airbase.
Russia, embroiled in its fifth year of full-scale war against Ukraine, is using military airfields as launching points for guided-bomb strikes on Ukrainian cities and front-line positions. Ukraine's drone campaign targets these bases and defense-industrial plants that supply them, aiming to destroy Russia's aircraft, radars, and production lines vital for sustaining the war.
The attack commenced around midnight, with Rostov-on-Don city mayor Aleksandr Skryabin reporting active air defenses and advising residents to seek shelter indoors at around 02:00. Governor Yurii Slyusar claimed more than 50 drones were neutralized overnight over Rostov-on-Don, Taganrog, Bataysk, and five other districts, listing damage to private homes, apartment buildings, vehicles, and gas pipes, but offering no details on the airbase.
Ukrainian OSINT channel Supernova+ pointed to the airbase as the target once more. Krymsky Veter reported a fire near the airfield, though Astra noted that the footage had not been verified by OSINT experts and the strike's impact on the base remains unconfirmed. Residents reported hearing no air-raid sirens and were unaware of shelter locations.
The Moscow Times mentioned residents heard deafening bangs from around 00:30. Further investigation reveals that Russia's Defense Ministry reported 629 Ukrainian drones downed overnight across all regions, while Ukraine's General Staff did not mention the airbase. Ukraine's General Staff did report verified results from earlier strikes, including one on Kombinat Kamensky, a solid-rocket-fuel factory in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, also within Rostov Oblast.
However, these figures may not prove the second attack took place, as the General Staff can report strike results on the same day or days later once damage is assessed. The first strike on the Rostov-on-Don Central military airfield took place overnight on September 17, with Zelenskyy reporting hits on a military transport An-12, two An-26 aircraft, and three helicopters.
The SBU stated a fire erupted on the aircraft parking area, leading to a secondary detonation of ammunition, with local residents witnessing a large-scale blaze visible across the city. No independent verification of these figures exists.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
