Second strike in a week: Fuel train and rail substation in Russian-occupied Crimea reportedly hit by drones
Fires were reported on a railway line in Dzhankoi and at a rail substation in Krasnohvardiiske in Russian-occupied Crimea. A train carrying fuel for Russia’s military caught fire after it was struck by drones, according to the Telegram channel Crimean Wind.
The channel also reported the aftermath of Ukrainian drone strikes on positions hosting S-300/S-400 air defense systems, saying three buildings caught fire at Cape Chauda near a range used to launch Shahed drones toward Ukraine.
Reports of the incident in Crimea began circulating online at around 8 a.m. on August 26. The posts said railway infrastructure in Dzhankoi was hit. The first such incident was on August 21. A photo showed a tanker car engulfed in flames and smoke.
The Channel subsequently reported damage at Urozhaynaya station in the village of Krasnohvardiiske, saying a substation was struck.
Photos from the scene showed plumes of smoke over rail tracks.
The Exilnova+ channel said the photos purportedly showing the Dzhankoi fire do not match the incident and are images from Omsk taken in 2024.
Based on Crimean Wind posts, the strike locations can be marked on Google Maps and appear to be roughly 300 kilometers apart in a straight line across the Black Sea.
Ukraine’s military command has not confirmed strikes on Russian targets in occupied Crimea.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said at 8:10 a.m. on August 26 that air defenses shot down eight Ukrainian drones over Crimea.
It said the attack lasted about 30 minutes, from 7:00 to 7:30 a.m. In a previous post, the ministry said 43 UAVs targeted Russia across 15 regions.
The farthest was Leningrad region, the ministry said.
“Crimean Wind” added that a strike on the substation did occur, noting that Russian authorities reported an accident and power outages in 13 settlements around Krasnohvardiiske.
On August 25, Russian military sites were attacked by drones in occupied Crimea.
Residents reported loud blasts near Dzhankoi, a rail logistics hub for Russian forces on the southern stretch of the front. Kerch, near the Crimean Bridge, also saw unrest.