KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian drones struck targets deep inside Russia on Saturday, hitting buildings in the city of Kazan more than 600 miles from the front line, while Russian forces launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine and continued their advance in the east.
Authorities in Russia’s Tatarstan region said eight Ukrainian drones targeted Kazan, with six striking residential buildings, one hitting an industrial facility, and one being shot down over a river. Local officials reported no casualties but suspended flights at Kazan’s airport and canceled weekend mass gatherings.
Video verified by The Associated Press shows a drone striking the upper floors of a high-rise building in the city.
The deep-strike operation came a day after a Ukrainian attack using U.S.-supplied missiles reportedly killed six people, including a child, in Russia’s Kursk border region. Ukraine hasn’t acknowledged either attack, consistent with its policy on operations inside Russia.
In response, Russia launched 113 drones at Ukraine overnight. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 57 drones, while another 56 were “lost,” likely due to electronic jamming, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.
The attacks caused casualties in multiple Ukrainian cities. In Kharkiv, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported eight people wounded in drone strikes. In Zaporizhzhia, falling drone debris damaged a nine-story residential building, injuring four people, said regional Governor Ivan Fedorov.
Meanwhile, Russian forces claimed a battlefield advance, with the Defense Ministry announcing the capture of Kostiantynopolske village in Ukraine’s Donetsk province. The village lies six miles from Kurakhove, a city Russian forces are attempting to encircle.
The escalating drone warfare and continued ground combat highlight the conflict’s expanding scope as both sides demonstrate their ability to strike targets far from the front lines.
