Drones attack Rostov, Engels and Luhansk, fires reported in all three cities
Photo: A fire in one of the cities may not have been caused by an attack (Getty Images)
Several Russian cities may have come under drone attacks overnight on July 25, causing fires to break out. Explosions were also reported in a temporarily occupied Ukrainian city, according to Russian Telegram channels and OSINT sources.
Engels
The first incident occurred in Engels. At around 2:40 a.m., several Russian channels began reporting that the city had allegedly come under attack.
Shortly afterward, reports emerged that a building housing one of the barracks had caught fire. Some time later, several channels reported that the former headquarters of the 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Krasnoznamennaya Division may have been on fire.
However, it remains unclear whether the city was actually attacked. The ASTRA Telegram channel reported that a missile threat and a drone attack warning had been issued in the Saratov region overnight. However, no sounds of an attack were heard, so it is unclear whether the fire was connected to any strikes.
Fire breaks out at barracks building in Engels despite no reported attack pic.twitter.com/yv6hLHgD0f
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) July 25, 2026
Rostov
At around 3:30 a.m., Russian residents began reporting explosions in Rostov en masse. The city was reportedly under a drone attack. Videos circulating online also showed potentially dangerous air defense activity, with missiles sometimes flying at very low altitudes.
Some time later, videos and photos emerged showing a fire. It was unclear what had caught fire, but regional governor Yury Slyusar said that warehouses, commercial facilities, and high-rise buildings under construction had been damaged.
Russia's Rostov hit by reported drone attack, fire breaks out pic.twitter.com/qwhjWfeViS
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) July 25, 2026
Luhansk
The temporarily occupied city of Luhansk also came under attack by an unknown type of weapon. A large fire broke out and explosions were heard. It is currently unclear what exactly was targeted.
Luhansk hit by explosions, large fire reported pic.twitter.com/AznNzDZxl7
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) July 25, 2026
Other events on the night of July 25
It was previously reported that the Russian city of Belgorod also came under attack that night. Logistics warehouses and several energy facilities in the city were reportedly targeted. Fires broke out as a result of the attack.
We also reported that a production hangar caught fire in Moscow that night at 10 Avtomobilny Proyezd. The cause of the fire is unknown, but the blaze reportedly covered an area of 3,000 square meters.
