A drone filled with explosives has struck the town of Kireevsk in Russia’s Tula Region, local emergency services told the news agency RIA Novosti on Sunday. The resulting explosion left at least three people injured and three residential buildings damaged.
A video published by RIA Novosti shows a massive crater at the alleged scene of the explosion and several damaged single-floor buildings nearby. No drone wreckage can be seen in the footage, though.
Those affected by the blast received light injuries and have already been administered the necessary medical treatment, Tula Region’s Security Committee told the news outlet RBK. The scene has been cordoned off by security forces. According to the Committee, there is “no danger to the local population or infrastructure.”
The unmanned aerial aircraft (UAV) used in the attack was allegedly a Soviet-made Tu-141 Strizh (‘Swift’) reconnaissance drone. This particular UAV is used by Ukraine's armed forces.
The Russian regions of Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk, which all border Ukraine, have been targeted by numerous drone and missile attacks by Kiev’s forces since the start of the Russian military operation last February.
In early March, the governor of Tula Region, which is located further away to the northeast from Russia’s border with Ukraine, ordered increased security measures in the wake of the attacks on Russian soil.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine has so far officially commented on who might have been behind the Sunday attack.