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A man allegedly died because of the fire that broke out.
Residents of the South Russian city of Rostov-on-Don reported hearing blasts late on Jan. 14, as air defense systems appeared to engage targets overhead.
Videos shared on Russian Telegram channels showed flashes in the sky and interceptor fire, according to local media.
Authorities issued warnings of a Ukrainian drone attack and multiple missile alerts for the region during the night, urging residents to remain cautious as the situation unfolded.
But according to unverified sources, the Russian citizens should care about more than the Ukrainian drones, as a Russian air defence system is reported to have played a rather unfortunate role during the attack.
Air defense said to hit apartment building
The Kyiv Independent reports that a Russian air defense missile hit an apartment building, creating a fire and allegedly killing a man.
The reports come from eyewitness accounts and videos posted on social media and have not been independently verified.
Article continues below.
Rostov-on-Don Mayor Alexander Skryabin confirmed that a fire broke out in an apartment building, attributing it to falling debris from a Ukrainian drone.
Wider context
Russian forces have previously hit domestic targets while intercepting Ukrainian drones. Kyiv has also accused Moscow of staging false flag incidents to justify its war effort, though no evidence has been provided in this case.
Ukraine’s military has not commented.
Sources: Kyiv Independent, Russian regional authorities, Telegram, X
