In a chilling development reminiscent of the 9/11 attacks, Ukrainian drones targeted two high-rise buildings in Kazan, Russia, setting off massive explosions and causing a plume of black smoke. The incident, which took place on Saturday morning, marks a dramatic escalation in the use of drone strikes in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Unverified videos posted on X (formerly Twitter) show aerial objects slamming into the buildings, believed to be residential complexes, in the Russian city of Kazan, located about 500 miles east of Moscow. The attack prompted immediate evacuations, with all residents reportedly being safely removed from the structures. No casualties have been reported so far.
The strike occurred in the early hours of the morning, between 7:40 am and 9:20 am local time (04:40 – 06:20 GMT), when three waves of drones were reportedly launched. According to Russia’s Defence Ministry, six drones were neutralized, but the total number of drones involved in the assault remains unclear. In response, the city’s airport temporarily halted all incoming and outgoing flights. Kazan, the capital of the Tatarstan Republic, with a population of over 1.3 million, remained on high alert following the incident.
Rustam Minnikhanov, the head of Tatarstan, condemned the attack, labeling it an assault on civilians. He shared his concerns via a post on Telegram, stating, “Today Kazan suffered a massive drone attack. While before industrial enterprises were attacked, now the enemy attacks civilians in the morning.”
In addition to disrupting Kazan, Russia’s aviation regulator Rosaviatsia imposed temporary restrictions on airports in Izhevsk, a city northeast of Kazan, and Saratov, located 400 miles south of Kazan. While restrictions in Saratov were lifted later, the move reflects the increasing vulnerability of Russian infrastructure to drone attacks.
Though Ukraine has yet to officially comment on the strikes, the attack represents a new phase in the ongoing conflict, with drone warfare becoming a focal point. This is not the first such strike on Russian civilian targets; a similar attack occurred earlier in August, when a drone hit a residential building in Saratov, injuring four people.
Saturday’s drone attack in Kazan coincides with rising tensions between Moscow and Kyiv. Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s previous openness to ceasefire talks, negotiations have stalled. The war, now in its third year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, continues to devastate both nations, displacing millions and causing tens of thousands of deaths. The conflict has strained relations between Russia and the West, reminiscent of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
The latest developments underscore the growing use of drone strikes in the conflict and serve as a stark reminder of the changing nature of warfare in the modern era.
Sources By Agencies
