Ukrainian drones struck high-rise buildings in Kazan, Russia, today, drawing comparisons to the 9/11 attacks in the United States when planes hit the Twin Towers in 2001. Unverified footage shared on social media depicted drones colliding with two high-rise buildings in Kazan, a city situated approximately 500 miles (800 km) east of Moscow. The attacks on these residential buildings caused large fireballs and thick black smoke.
Fortunately, all residents were safely removed from the buildings, and there were no reports of anyone getting hurt. Following the drone strikes, an alert was issued, leading to a temporary halt of flights at Kazan’s airport, as reported by Russian media and has a population of over 1.3 million people.
Rustam Minnikhanov, the leader of Tatarstan, stated on Telegram that Kazan experienced a significant drone attack targeting civilians rather than industrial sites as seen in previous incidents. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that three waves of drone attacks occurred between 7:40 am and 9:20 am (0440 to 0620 GMT), claiming that they managed to neutralize six drones but did not specify how many were involved.
As a safety measure, authorities decided to cancel all major public events in Tatarstan. In response to the drone attack, Russia’s aviation authority imposed temporary flight restrictions at two airports: one in Izhevsk and another in Saratov. However, the restrictions at the Saratov airport were eventually lifted.
This incident follows a similar attack in Saratov earlier this year when a drone hit a residential building, injuring four people. The devastating 9/11 attacks resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths when hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, with another plane going down in Pennsylvania.
The recent drone strikes come amid ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. While Ukrainian officials have not commented on the attacks, they coincide with heightened military activity and discussions about potential ceasefire negotiations. Russia has repeatedly stated it will not negotiate with Ukraine unless certain conditions are met, including Ukraine’s withdrawal from territories controlled by Russian forces. The conflict, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has led to significant loss of life and widespread displacement.
