Russia’s Kazan Hit By ‘Ukrainian Drones’, Residential Buildings Damaged, Airport Closed

Eyewitness footage showed a moment of purported Ukrainian drone hit a residential building in the Russian city of Kazan on Saturday (December 21) .Reuters was able to confirm the location from building characteristics, position of nearby buildings and trees that matched with file and satellite imagery of the area. Date was verified by Russian state news agencies and statement from Russian Defence Ministry.Ukrainian drones attacked the Russian city of Kazan and the airport there was temporarily closed, Russian media and aviation authorities said on Saturday.Russian state news agencies reported the drone attack on a residential complex in Kazan, a city some 500 miles (800 km) east of Moscow.The Defence Ministry said the city had been attacked by three waves of drones between 7:40 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. (0440 and 0620 GMT).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, which is close to Russia’s security services, published unverified video footage showing an aerial object crashing into a high-rise building, producing a large fireball.The Kazan airport temporarily halted flight arrivals and departures, Russia’s aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said via Telegram. n18oc_world n18oc_crux