Russia confirms third drone attack inside its territory

An oil storage tank was set on fire “as a result of a drone attack” near Kursk airfield in southwestern Russia, the region’s governor announced on December 6 on Telegram.

It comes one day after Moscow accused Ukraine of two drone strikes deep inside its territory, suggesting that Kyiv is unexpectedly adopting new tactics by striking military facilities inside Russia, well beyond its border areas, Politico reports.

“An oil storage tank caught fire near Kursk airfield as a result of a drone attack,” Kursk regional Governor Roman Starovoit wrote. “There were no casualties. The fire is being localized. All special services are working at the site.”

The airfield is situated on the outskirts of Kursk, roughly 100 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.

On December 5, Russia’s defence ministry accused Ukraine of being responsible for two drone attacks carried out hundreds of kilometres inside Russia, which killed three people.

If confirmed, those reports could indicate a major evolution in the war that escalated with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, with Ukrainian forces now able and willing to hit targets inside Russia.

Kyiv has not claimed any of the three drone strikes, though senior officials trolled the Kremlin after the December 5 airfield blasts.