On the night of June 18, Russian airspace was subjected to a large-scale attack by unmanned aerial vehicles. The main strikes hit the Rostov region and Moscow, where fires were recorded and air defense systems were actively engaged.
Fire at the Strategic Oil Depot in Gukovo
One of the key events of the night was the strike on the city of Gukovo in the Rostov region. Videos published in open sources captured the moment of the UAV arrival, the subsequent explosion, and the rapid spread of fire. The flames engulfed the territory of a large oil depot located in close proximity to the border with Ukraine.
The footage clearly shows powerful tongues of fire and thick black columns of smoke rising into the sky. The object that became the target of the attack plays a critical role in regional logistics: storage and transshipment of oil products are carried out here. In addition, Gukovo is an important transport hub with developed railway infrastructure through which significant volumes of cargo transportation pass.
The Governor of the Rostov region, Yury Slyusar, confirmed the fact of the air attack in his Telegram channel. According to him, as a result of the strike, a diesel locomotive was damaged, and two fires arose at commercial facilities. "Emergency services are working at the scene. Information will be clarified," the official noted, adding that at the time of publication, the air attack was continuing, and the danger from drones remained.
Protection of the Capital's Sky
A complex situation also developed over Moscow. The Mayor of the capital, Sergey Sobyanin, reported that about 15 drones were spotted in the sky over the city. According to him, all of them were successfully shot down by air defense forces. On the ground, services are working to eliminate the consequences and collect debris from the destroyed unmanned aerial vehicles.
Confirmation of the tense situation came from video materials distributed by OSINT channels, which captured the flight of drones over the Moscow region.
Economic Consequences of the Attacks
Systematic strikes on Russian infrastructure cause significant economic damage. In recent years, Ukrainian drones have deliberately attacked energy facilities, seeking to weaken the enemy's economy and create conditions under which the conduct of war becomes impossible.
Against the backdrop of constant attacks, a fuel crisis has erupted in the Russian Federation. The country, which is one of the world's largest exporters of gasoline, is forced to purchase fuel abroad. Experts estimate the damage from Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure at billions of dollars, which directly affects revenues from the export of oil and oil products.