Massive Drone Strike Hits Key Russian Rail Power Hub, Sparks Major Fire

Overnight on September 22, drones struck the Kanivska traction substation in Staroderevyankivska, Krasnodar region, according to Exilenova+ and other Telegram channels that published video of the incident.

The footage shows multiple explosions and a fire at the facility. According to Exilenova+, at least five drones hit the substation, which is a central element of Russia’s railway power infrastructure.

Russian state media, citing the regional operational headquarters, acknowledged that debris from drones caused a fire at the site. Local emergency services were deployed to extinguish the blaze.

The Kanivska substation supplies power to electrified railway lines, converting high-voltage electricity (220 kV) from the main grid into 25 kV for overhead contact lines used by locomotives.

It also supports auxiliary systems such as lighting, communications, signaling, and heating through 10 kV lines. The loss or damage of such a node disrupts both passenger and freight operations.

Additional drone activity was reported near oil refineries in Slavyansk-on-Kuban and Yaroslavl, though details on the scale of damage remain unclear.

Earlier, on September 20, oil refineries in Saratov and Novokuybyshevsk were struck, with Ukraine’s General Staff reporting fires and damage at facilities processing over 15 million tons of crude annually, while Special Operations Forces also targeted the Samara dispatch station critical for Urals-grade exports.

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