Ukrainian drone shot down over Tatarstan, crashes into Kazan residential building

A Ukrainian drone was shot down by Russian air defence forces over the territory of Tatarstan on the morning of December 21, the Russian Defence Ministry said.

The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was destroyed around 7:50 a.m. local time, Caliber.Az reports.

According to the Telegram channel Shot, the drone crashed into the 37-storey "Azure Skies" residential building in Kazan. Video footage from the scene shows visible damage to the building’s exterior, with a fire igniting inside. Emergency services have cordoned off the area, but no details on casualties or the extent of the damage have been provided so far.

In addition to the drone strike in Kazan, Russian air defence forces successfully repelled a coordinated drone attack across four regions of Russia on the same night. Nine drones were downed over Belgorod, five over Voronezh, and one each over Kursk and Krasnodar Krai. Furthermore, three UAVs were destroyed over the Black Sea, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Fires broke out in residential buildings in Kazan’s Sovetsky and Kirovsky districts following the drone attack. The city’s mayor's office reported the incident via its official Telegram channel, stating that emergency services are on-site, working to extinguish the fires and provide necessary assistance.

In response to the attack, residents of the affected "Azure Skies" complex are being evacuated. Kazan’s mayor, Ilsur Metshin, has instructed authorities to ensure the evacuated residents are provided with food, warm clothing, and shelter. The mayor’s office also confirmed that fires were reported in the Sovetsky, Kirovsky, and Privolzhsky districts.

All emergency and utility services have been deployed to the affected areas, with additional support on standby. The press service of the Tatarstan government confirmed that an operational headquarters has been established at the site of the attack. The Ministry of Emergency Situations has issued a city-wide alert, urging residents to remain calm and follow safety guidelines. In the event of further alarms, residents are advised to dress warmly and proceed to the lower floors or basements of their buildings for safety.

By Vafa Guliyeva