Russia was yesterday rocked by a 9/11-style attack on a skyscraper in the city of Kazan, after Ukraine launched long-range drones into enemy territory 900 kilometers from the front line.
Dramatic footage shows the deadly weapon – believed to be a long-range Liutyi or ‘ferocious’ drone with a 50kg warhead – slamming into the top floors of the city’s tallest building, the 121-metre Lazurnyye Nebesa Tower, and explodes into a fireball.
Authorities in the republic of Tatarstan said there were fires in three districts of the capital of the oil-rich region, which lies 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the border with Ukraine, after attacks on residential buildings.
No casualties were immediately reported, but Kazan airport was closed as a precaution but later reopened, Russia’s aviation agency said. All mass gatherings in the city have been canceled this weekend.
The press service of Tatarstan Governor Rustam Minnikhanov said eight drones attacked the city.
Six hit residential buildings, one hit an industrial facility and one was shot over a river, the statement said.
Dramatic footage shows the deadly weapon – believed to be a long-range Lutyi or ‘ferocious’ drone with a 50kg warhead – slamming into the top floors of the city’s tallest building
It crashed into the side of the 121-meter-high Lazurnyye Nebesa Tower and exploded in a fireball
No casualties were immediately reported, but Kazan airport was closed as a precaution but later reopened, the Russian Aviation Agency said
The Liutyi drone, which has a range of 1,000 kilometers, has proven its effectiveness in a series of successful attacks on Russian oil refineries, fuel depots, helicopter bases and other strategic facilities
Authorities in the republic of Tatarstan said there were fires in three districts of the oil-rich region’s capital
The press service of Tatarstan Governor Rustam Minnikhanov said eight drones attacked the city
The Liutyi drone, which has a range of 1,000 kilometers, has proven its effectiveness in a series of successful attacks on Russian oil refineries, fuel depots, helicopter bases and other strategic facilities in Sochi, Adler, St. Petersburg, Novolipetsk, Ryazan and Nizhny Novgorod.
Kazan is home to 1.3 million people and is located about 700 kilometers east of Moscow. Despite being located deep in the heart of Russia, this is not the first time the region has been targeted.
In April, Ukrainian drones hit an oil facility and drone factory in Nizhnekamsk and Yelabuga, two other cities in Tatarstan, more than 100 miles east of Kazan.
In line with its security policy, Ukraine did not comment on yesterday’s attacks.
Earlier this year, Vladimir Putin used the city of Kazan to host a summit of BRIC leaders.