Rostov-on-Don hit by unidentified drones: fuel storage tanks may be on fire
Photo: footage shows a Russian air defense missile striking the city (Getty Images)
Overnight on January 14, the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don came under a drone attack, with the possibility that missiles were also used. A fire was reported in the city following the strike, according to Russian and monitoring channels.
According to posts circulating online, the attack on Rostov-on-Don began at around 01:40 Kyiv time. Footage of a fire and reports about air defense activity were immediately shared across local social media channels.
It remains unclear what exactly was used to attack the city. Monitoring channels initially reported unidentified drones and later suggested that missiles may also have been involved. In particular, there were claims that Russia’s air defense systems may have intercepted one or even several missiles.
Shortly afterward, social media users reported that drones had likely struck fuel storage tanks on the premises of the Empils plant in Rostov-on-Don, with the fire reportedly intensifying over time. Corresponding footage also circulated online.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Rostov-on-Don, Oleksandr Skryabin, confirmed that the city had come under attack. He claimed that falling debris caused a fire at buildings belonging to an industrial facility.
Local authorities also said that several residential buildings were allegedly damaged by falling debris. At the same time, unusual footage of Russian air defense activity circulated on social media. One video appears to show an air defense missile launching into the sky before turning back downward and striking the ground.
Other incidents
Earlier, on the morning of January 12, a power plant in Novocherkassk was attacked, causing a fire. Social media reports suggested the incident could significantly affect the operation of a district power plant and electricity transmission to consumers.
Overnight on December 18, residents in Rostov-on-Don and Bataysk complained of explosions, with reports of air defense activity.
Earlier still, overnight on December 15, Rostov-on-Don also came under a drone attack. Russian authorities later claimed that dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles had allegedly been destroyed.
