Overnight, Russian air defenses successfully neutralized 32 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) across various regions, as reported by the Ministry of Defense. Eleven of these drones were intercepted over the Volgograd region, where falling debris impacted railway infrastructure. Further drone attacks resulted in a fire at an industrial facility in the Penza region and a forest fire near the M-4 Don highway in the Rostov region.
Incidents by Region:
Volgograd Region: Railway Disruptions
In the Volgograd region, debris from one of the intercepted UAVs fell onto railway infrastructure, requiring sappers to secure the area. This led to a temporary suspension of train services on the Kotelnikovo – Kanalnaya section of the Privolzhskaya Railway. No casualties were reported. Movement has since resumed, though two long-distance and one suburban train are experiencing minor delays. Ekaterina Simokhina, editor of `KP-Volgograd,` noted that while the impact was contained, similar incidents last week caused more significant disruptions to the contact network.
Penza Region: Industrial Fire and Evacuations
A drone attack in the Penza region caused a fire at an industrial enterprise, as confirmed by regional head Oleg Melnichenko. Emergency services are working to extinguish the blaze, and fortunately, there are no casualties. An air danger alert was declared in the city, prompting sirens to sound and public transport to halt. Personnel and visitors were evacuated from the Penza bus station. Svetlana Filippova, a journalist for `Rossiyskaya Gazeta` in Penza, described the morning situation:
“Many residents awoke to loud explosions, later identified as a strike on an industrial facility. Despite subsequent alarms, most people, including children, proceeded with their daily routines, reflecting `today`s realities.` While official advice was to seek shelter, the air danger regime has since been lifted, and most restrictions removed, except for mobile internet connectivity, which is still problematic, affecting cashless transactions.”
Rostov Region: Forest Fire
In the Chertkovsky district of the Rostov region, falling drone debris ignited a forest plantation adjacent to the M-4 Don highway. Acting Governor Yury Slyusar reported that the fire was quickly brought under control, with no injuries.
Ongoing Attacks:
Belgorod Region: Two Injured
Drone attacks continued into Thursday morning, with two people reported injured in the Belgorod region. According to regional head Vyacheslav Gladkov, two men were hurt during a drone attack on a commercial property in Oktyabrsky village. They received medical attention, and one will continue outpatient treatment.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth