The city of Kotowsk, approximately 420 kilometers southeast of the Russian capital, Moscow, has survived a drone attack. According to the interim governor of the Tambow region, Yevgeny Pervyshov, on Telegram, the attack occurred in the early hours of January 11. Unmanned aerial vehicles targeted two multi-family houses, with multiple people injured by flying glass. Medical care has been provided to the wounded, and there were no fires. The residential buildings sustained minor damage, the official stated.
In a subsequent Telegram post, Pervyshov announced that seven residents were injured by glass shards, with seven others complaining of high blood pressure. All those affected have received medical care, and hospitalization was not necessary. There was no evacuation, although a nearby school was prepared to accommodate the affected. The interim governor promised compensation from the regional budget and reported that the situation is under control.
Eyewitnesses shared photos and videos of the attack on social media, showing damaged balconies and windows.
A video shows a crowd and a fire truck in front of one of the damaged five-story buildings.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Telegram about the downing of 85 unmanned aerial vehicles of the Ukrainian military over six Russian regions, as well as the Black Sea and the Azov Sea. Two drones were intercepted over the Tambow region, the ministry said, without providing further details about the attack.
On Saturday morning, the Russian civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya, temporarily closed several airports due to security concerns. The airports of Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Uljanovsk, and Saratov were shut down, with two flights to Kazan, for example, being rerouted to Ufa.