 "A view shows a damaged multi-storey residential building following an alleged Ukrainian drone attack in Kazan. Image- Reuters")
Ukrainian drones struck high-rise buildings in the Russian city of Kazan on Saturday, evoking a chilling resemblance to the 9/11 attacks in the US when planes targeted New York’s Twin Towers in 2001.
The press service of Tatarstan’s governor, Rustam Minnikhanov, said that eight drones attacked the city. Six hit residential buildings, one hit an industrial facility and one was shot down over a river, the statement said.
Local authorities said there were no casualties. Flights were halted at Kazan’s airport and all mass gatherings were canceled on Saturday and Sunday.
The Defence Ministry said the city had been attacked by three waves of drones between 7:40 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. There were no casualties reported, agencies said, citing local authorities. The mayor of Kazan said on Telegram that all planned mass events in the city would be cancelled over the weekend and that authorities would offer temporary accommodation to evacuees.
The Baza Telegram channel, a source with connections to Russian security circles, published video footage, the authenticity of which remains unconfirmed, showing an apparent aerial object striking a high-rise building. The impact resulted in a significant explosion.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe attacks, which Ukraine didn’t acknowledge in keeping with its security policy, comes after a Ukrainian attack Friday on a town in Russia’s Kursk border region using U.S.-supplied missiles killed six people, including a child.
Moscow sent 113 drones into Ukraine overnight into Saturday, Ukrainian officials said. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, 57 drones were shot down during the attacks. A further 56 drones were “lost,” likely having been electronically jammed.
The governor of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, said eight people were wounded Friday night in drone attacks on the regional capital, also called Kharkiv.
With inputs from agencies.