Anna Hartz
Explosions, Fires, and Injuries After Wave of Drone Strikes Hits Russia
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, and drones have become one of the most visible tools on both sides.
These small, fast, and often hard-to-detect flying machines can carry explosives, cameras, or other tools of war.
Over the weekend, Russia says it faced one of the largest drone attacks yet, according to Ukrinform.
On Saturday night, the Russian government claimed it shot down over 170 drones across five regions and over Crimea.
Russian officials reported fires, damage to homes and buildings, and several people injured.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, 47 drones were shot down over the Krasnodar region.
Nine were brought down in Rostov. Eight drones each were reportedly destroyed in the Bryansk and Kursk regions. Two were taken down over Belgorod.
In Crimea, which Russia currently occupies, Russian forces said they destroyed 96 drones.
They also claimed to have stopped eight Storm Shadow cruise missiles, three Neptune missiles, and 14 unmanned boats over the Black Sea.
The governor of Rostov said two private homes caught fire from drone debris. No injuries were reported there.
In Krasnodar Krai, a large fire broke out in the town of Taman after a drone strike.
One private home was damaged. Local videos show flames and drone wreckage.
In the village of Yurovka, pieces of a downed drone damaged three homes. Windows were shattered and doors blown out, but no one was hurt.
In Novorossiysk, also in Krasnodar, drones damaged apartments in two high-rise buildings. Local media said public transport was shut down in the morning.
Later that day, regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev said four people were hurt, including two children.
Three apartment blocks were damaged, and debris hit tanks at a grain terminal. Novorossiysk’s mayor declared a state of emergency.
Just days earlier, Russia also reported a drone attack on a factory in Tatarstan. That site is believed to build kamikaze drones.
The use of drones in the conflict appears to be growing fast.