A Ukrainian drone crashed into a 38-storey residential complex in Russia’s Saratov region on Monday, injuring a woman and causing significant damage to homes. The incident has also led to restricted flight operations in the area.
According to Governor Roman Basurgin, the residential complex was damaged by falling debris from drones that were destroyed by Russia’s air defense systems. “A woman was hospitalized in serious condition. Doctors are fighting for her life,” Basurgin told Reuters.
Russia’s defense ministry stated that its air defense systems destroyed nine drones over the Saratov region, located about 900 kilometers (560 miles) from the border with Ukraine. Flights were restricted at the regional Saratov airport following the incident, as reported by Russia’s RIA news agencies.
Governor Basurgin confirmed that emergency services had been deployed at affected sites in Saratov and Engels, a key city in the region. Engels is home to a strategic bomber military base that Ukraine has targeted multiple times since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
A chilling video of the incident has surfaced online, showing the drone crashing into the building, triggering an explosion and a large cloud of smoke.
Watch the video here:
In response to the drone incident, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine on Monday. The attack targeted multiple regions in Ukraine’s west and near the Polish border. Polish and allied aircraft were activated following the attack, Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said on X.
The Kyiv Independent reported that at least seven explosions were heard in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, with three people killed in the attack. Fatalities were reported in the western Lutsk, eastern Dnipro, and southern Zaporizhzhia regions, according to AFP.