Russia has declared a state of emergency in its border city Voronezh following a series of kamikaze drone attacks targeting a crucial airbase linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The attacks, characterized by at least 16 explosions, occurred overnight, causing alarm in the region.
Voronezh, with a population of over one million people, is situated approximately 155 miles from the Ukraine border and serves as the capital of a region bordering Russian-occupied areas Donetsk and Luhansk.
The nearby Baltimore air base hosts Su-34 bombers, which have been deployed against Ukraine.
While Russia did not officially acknowledge damage at the air base, there is no independent verification at this point. The attacks unfolded in two phases, occurring at 2 am and 5 am.
Mayor of Voronezh, Vadim Kstenin, assured that evacuations were promptly carried out, utilizing a nearby school for shelter.
He urged caution around the drone debris, emphasizing repair efforts and the swift return of residents to their homes.
Several apartment blocks near the air base reported smashed windows, and officials later confirmed damage to 35 apartments across three 10-story buildings caused by falling drone debris.
The Russian defense ministry claimed to have successfully intercepted and shot down five aircraft-type drones, with an additional three intercepted.
Reports suggest that another four drones were intercepted over the Belgorod border region.
Regional governor Alexander Gusev provided an official statement: “An attack by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles has been repelled over Voronezh by air defense forces on duty. A fire on a balcony was extinguished in one apartment block. Windows were broken in two more apartment blocks and a number of private houses. Operational services are already working on the ground.”
