On the night of July 2, drones from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) carried out a significant strike on Russian ammunition depots near Khartsyzk in the Donetsk Oblast. The city, which has been under Russian control since 2014, is located near the also-occupied cities of Makiivka and Donetsk. According to a statement from the SBU, the attack started around 10 p.m. and triggered a powerful secondary explosion due to the volume of ammunition stored at the site. The result was a large-scale fire that further damaged the depot facilities.
Khartsyzk holds strategic importance for Russian forces in the region. It has been used as a key rear base, playing a central role in Russian military operations in the Donbas. The SBU indicated that the city hosts not only ammunition depots but also command posts and logistical hubs critical to Russian operations.
The strike marks a continued pattern of targeted Ukrainian operations aimed at weakening Russia’s military infrastructure in occupied territories. The Ukrainian authorities framed this drone attack as part of a broader strategy to diminish the offensive capabilities of Russian troops in the east. The successful hit highlights the evolving role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in modern warfare and underscores Ukraine’s focus on high-value military targets in areas held by Russian forces.
The Security Service of Ukraine emphasized that this drone strike was more than a tactical move it was part of an ongoing campaign to systematically undermine Russia’s ability to sustain its offensive in eastern Ukraine. In their statement, the SBU said: “The enemy has placed command posts, logistics centers, and ammunition depots there. All of these are legitimate military targets.” The agency referred to the operation as another successful step in disrupting the Russian military supply chain and command structure.
The strike on Khartsyzk represents both a physical and psychological blow to Russian forces. Physically, the loss of ammunition and key infrastructure may hamper the effectiveness of ongoing and future military operations in the Donbas region. Psychologically, it shows that no site in occupied territory is beyond the reach of Ukrainian drones and special forces.
The SBU described this mission as part of the "summer cotton" campaign, a term that has become a code word in Ukrainian military slang for explosions behind enemy lines. These types of strikes are intended to weaken the enemy’s offensive capabilities while simultaneously demonstrating Ukraine’s ability to carry out precise, high-impact operations.
By continuing to attack logistics and supply hubs like those in Khartsyzk, Ukrainian forces aim to create instability in the Russian rear. This could reduce the pressure on Ukrainian front-line units and slow down Russian advances. It also reflects Ukraine’s commitment to reclaiming control over temporarily occupied territories, using both conventional and asymmetric tactics to challenge Russian dominance in key areas.
Overall, the Khartsyzk strike is another signal of Ukraine’s proactive stance in the ongoing war, where tactical drone strikes serve a broader strategic goal of liberation and disruption.
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