Explosions, power outages reported in Russia's Rostov Oblast

Prefer on Google by Sonya Bandouil A sign reading as "Rostov-on-Don, city of military glory" is seen on the side of a road entering the city of Rostov-on-Don, early on June 24, 2023. (Vasily Deryugin/Kommersant Photo/AFP via Getty Images) Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated. Explosions were reported overnight in the Russian city of Novocherkassk in Rostov Oblast, according to Russian media and Telegram channels. Preliminary reports suggest drones targeted railway infrastructure, sparking a fire in the city and disrupting train traffic due to power outages. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed. Russian sources also reported drone activity and explosions in other regions, including in Saratov and Volgograd Oblasts. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that nearly 100 drones were shot down across multiple regions during the overnight attack. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims made by Russian officials or media. Rostov-on-Don is situated approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of the Russia-Ukraine border and lies adjacent to the Azov Sea, making the port and its surrounding area a prime target of Ukrainian attacks on oil tankers and oil facilities .