LONDON — Russia and Ukraine exchanged large drone attacks on Sunday night into Monday, with UAVs forcing flight restrictions at three Russian airports and prompting reports of an attack on a major military aviation hub.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 30 Ukrainian drones overnight over western Russian regions — 14 over Bryansk region, six over Kaluga region, three over Belgorod region, three over Kursk region, two over Ryazan region, and two over Oryol region.
Another drone was shot down over the Republic of Tatarstan, the ministry statement said. The capital of Tatarstan, Kazan, is more than 600 miles from the closest Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Russia’s Rosaviatsia federal air transport agency announced temporary restrictions on flights at the Kazan International Airport and Begishevo Airport — both in the Tatarstan region.
The restrictions were lifted around four hours later. Kazan International Airport said on Telegram the stoppages were intended “to ensure the safety of civil aircraft flights.” Three planes were diverted away from Kazan while the restrictions were in place, the airport said.
Flights were also restricted at the Izhevsk Airport in the neighboring Udmurt Republic, Rosaviatsia said.
Authorities in Tatarstan said drones targeted industrial facilities in the region, Russia’s RBC news outlet reported. Officials said all drones were neutralized with no casualties or damage reported, though added that emergency responders were working at the scene, RBC said.
Photos and videos posted to social media by residents indicated an attack in the vicinity Kazan. ABC News was unable to immediately verify the footage.
Andriy Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation — which operates as part of the country’s Security and Defense Council — reported “explosions in Kazan,” claiming that “military facilities were attacked by unknown drones.”
Kovalenko noted that the city “is home to several important aviation enterprises that play a key role in the Russian military-industrial complex,” among them the aviation plant and a helicopter plant.
Kazan also operates an explosives factory manufacturing aerial munitions including Kalibr and Iskander missiles, Kovalenko said. “Not the first attacks, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to cover the skies of Russia,” Kovalenko wrote on Telegram.
The Kazan Aviation Plant — a major aviation industrial site — was among the sensitive sites noted by Kovalenko.
The plant was put under European Union sanctions after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with the bloc noting the site “manufactures and repairs the Tu-160 strategic missile carriers and the TU-22M3M/TU-22M3 long-range bombers.” The facility also “produces parts used in the construction of Il-76 strategic airlifters,” the EU said.
Elsewhere, Kaluga governor Vladislav Shapsha said on Telegram that drone debris fell on an industrial site in the region causing a fire, though “preliminary data” indicated “no casualties or damage to infrastructure.”
Bryansk governor Alexander Bogomaz said on Telegram that air defenses shot down four U.S.-made HIMARS missiles and 14 drones over the region on Sunday night, reporting no casualties or damage.
Ukraine, meanwhile, said Russia launched 141 drones and one ballistic missile into the country on Sunday night.
Ukraine’s air force said it downed 93 attack UAVs, with another 47 lost in flight. Two of the drones flew back into Russia airspace, the air force said in a statement posted to Telegram.
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