A wave of Ukrainian drone assaults focused the capital of the republic of Tatarstan early Saturday, regional authorities mentioned, damaging a number of residential buildings and forcing the closure of not less than two close by airports.
Tatarstan regional head Rustam Minnikhanov described the assault as unprecedented in its scope and mentioned emergency groups had evacuated residents of the impacted buildings, arrange momentary shelters and offered them with scorching meals.
“Today, Kazan confronted a mass drone assault. Whereas industrial services have been beforehand focused, now the enemy assaults peaceable civilians, hanging houses within the morning,” he wrote in a message posted on Telegram.
Russia’s Defense Ministry blamed the assault on Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of deploying fixed-wing drones in three waves between 7:40 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. “Air defenses destroyed three drones, whereas three others have been neutralized utilizing digital warfare methods,” the ministry mentioned.
Kazan, positioned round 700 kilometers (435 miles) east of Moscow, has beforehand come underneath assault from drones. However, Saturday’s strikes mark the primary time they seem to have instantly focused residential buildings within the metropolis.
Among the buildings attacked Saturday was the Manhattan housing complicated, based on state media reporters. So, too, was the Lazurny Nebes residential high-rise, the place a blaze broke out earlier than firefighters finally managed to extinguish it.
Videos shared on social media confirmed not less than one drone crashing into the Lazurny Nebes, which is positioned on the east facet of Kazan close to a horse racing monitor. During that assault, the high-rise was already visibly broken and smoke was billowing from its home windows, suggesting not less than one drone had already struck the constructing.
According to the state-run TASS information company, a complete of eight Ukrainian drones struck residential buildings in Kazan, whereas one other tried to hit an industrial web site however missed its goal. Workers at industrial vegetation within the Tatarstan capital have been evacuated as a precaution, the information company added.
Officials mentioned there have been no fatalities or accidents, though unconfirmed studies from Telegram information channels steered not less than three folks sustained minor accidents, primarily from shattered glass.
