The Mayor of Voronezh, a city in southern Russia, declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after officials reported that Ukraine launched a drone attack on the city. This resulted in damage to several buildings and the injury of a young girl.
Vadim Kstenin, the Mayor of Voronezh, announced via the Telegram app that residents of at least one residential building were evacuated to a nearby school after debris from a drone caused a small fire and broke windows.
Kstenin added that windows of other buildings were also shattered and that “the declared emergency in the city will allow the immediate implementation of measures to replace them,” according to Reuters.
Alexander Gusev, the regional governor, also reported on Telegram that an 11-year-old girl was injured when debris from a drone fell on a residential building in Voronezh, the administrative center of the region.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on Tuesday via Telegram that air defense systems destroyed 5 drones and intercepted 3 others overnight above the Voronezh region near the Ukrainian border. Additionally, 4 more drones were intercepted in the nearby Belgorod region of Russia.
Voronezh, home to more than a million people, is located about 250 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Ukraine has not immediately commented on the incident. Kyiv has intensified its aerial attacks in recent months, which it says target Russian military infrastructure to undermine Moscow’s war efforts.
Russia has an airbase near Voronezh, which houses some Sukhoi Su-34 fighter jets, according to Russian media. These bombers are often used by Russia in its airstrikes on Ukraine.
The Russian news site Shot reported on Telegram that at least 15 explosions were heard near the airbase, and some drone debris fell near a residential building.
Reuters was unable to independently verify these reports.
