Ukraine's defence forces strike Russian drone ground control stations, training ground and ammo depot

What Happened

On 18 September and the night of 18-19 September, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian forces conducted strikes against eight Russian drone ground control stations located in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. Specifically, strikes were recorded in Luhanske and Pokrovsk in Donetsk, and Volodymyrivka, Verbove, Novoprokopivka, Dobropillia, and Rivnopillia in Zaporizhzhia. Additionally, Ukrainian forces targeted the Vostochnyi training ground in Novopetrivka, Zaporizhzhia, and an ammunition depot near Amvrosiivka, Donetsk. Separately, the General Staff confirmed that a Russian 80P6 radar station near Mytiuli in Russia's Smolensk Oblast was damaged on 17 September.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The targeting of drone ground control stations and ammunition depots represents a tactical effort by Ukrainian forces to degrade Russian reconnaissance and strike capabilities in the active Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia fronts. The strike on the 80P6 radar station in Smolensk Oblast indicates a continued Ukrainian strategy of extending long-range operations into Russian territory to disrupt military logistics and surveillance infrastructure.

Watch For

Monitor for further reports from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine regarding the operational impact of these strikes on Russian drone activity in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia sectors, as well as any potential Russian retaliatory strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure.