Drones Strike Buildings In Russian City Of Kazan

KAZAN, Russia — Drones have hit high-rise buildings in Kazan, the capital of Russia’s republic of Tatarstan, with the attacks causing the city’s airport to temporarily suspend flights.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks came in three waves between 7:40 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. local time on December 21.

The ministry claimed the drones were of Ukrainian origin, while Ukrainian authorities have not issued any comment.

The press service of Rustam Minnikhanov, the leader of the autonomous republic of Tatarstan, said in a statement that eight drones attacked the city. According to the statement, six struck residential buildings, one struck an industrial facility, and one was shot down over a river.

According to a statement from the Kazan mayor’s office on Telegram, drones targeted residential areas in three districts of the city.

A video posted on the local Telegram news channel Astra and verified by The Associated Press shows a drone flying into the upper floors of a high-rise building.

Schools Evacuated

RFE/RL’s Tatar-Bashkir Service reported that pupils were evacuated from schools in the Soviet district of Kazan and that sirens could be heard in the city.

There were no casualties, local authorities said.

According to Interfax reports, Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin said that people had been evacuated from the affected buildings and were being provided with accommodation and food. The mayor said that all large events in the city would be cancelled over the weekend.

Kazan is approximately 800 kilometers east of Moscow.

In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said that a “Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed over the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan by the air defense forces on duty.”

Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said in a statement that “temporary restrictions were imposed at Kazan Airport on the morning of December 21 in order to ensure the safety of civilian flights. Both arrivals and departures are suspended.” The ban has since been lifted.

Ukrainian drone attacks have previously targeted Russian military and industrial locations in the region.

Local authorities on May 15 shut down two major airports — one in Kazan and another in the city of Nizhnekamsk — for several hours “for security reasons” following a drone attack. The Russian Defense Ministry said that “a Ukrainian drone” was shot down over Tatarstan.

In April, Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery in Tatarstan and a dormitory in the Alabuga special economic zone in Yelabuga that hosts more than 20 industrial enterprises, including chemical, mechanical engineering, and metal treatment factories. It also reportedly houses a facility producing drones.

Meanwhile, Russia has continued its regular attacks, launching 113 drone attacks against Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian air force on December 21. Of those drones, 57 were shot down, and 56 others were unable to reach their targets, the air force said.

With reporting by Reuters and AP