Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on a major Russian city on Saturday, causing extensive damage to residential buildings, sparking panic among the population.
A 37-storey apartment block was one of six buildings hit during the ferocious bombardment of Kazan, the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan Republic.
Two more UAVS struck a 23-storey building, while another crashed into the roof of a four-floor apartment block, setting it on fire.
Unconfirmed reports indicate there are currently at least three casualties as a result of the attack.
Video images captured the dramatic moment that the Ukrainian drone struck the 37-storey Azure Skies residential complex.
In one clip, the drone can be seen flying low across the horizon, almost invisible due to the grey skies.
Then a loud explosion is heard and a huge orange fire ball erupts from the upper floors of the skyscraper.
Further footage shows flames and thick black smoke pouring from the windows of the building.
Residents were filmed rushing to air raid shelters in the Tatarstan capital. Many however were locked and inaccessible, according to locals.
Other images show schoolchildren taking refuge in the shelters of the basements of their schools.
The city’s airports have been closed and all public events planned for the weekend have been cancelled.
Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed one drone was shot down before it could reach an industrial complex in the city and that another fell into the Volga river.
In a statement, the Ministry said that a “Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed over the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan by the air defence forces on duty.”
Kazan has a population of over one million people and is home to a major plane manufacturer.
The Kazan Aircraft Production Association makes Tu-160 strategic bombers, as well as passenger planes.
The city – 800km east of Moscow – is also home to the Borisoglebskoye military airfield, which has come under attack on several occasions already.
The latest was in August, when drones damaged at least two hangars and two fighter aircraft.
