Ukrainian drone hits residential building in Russia

The Defense Ministry has reported 27 UAVs destroyed, while Rostov’s governor has confirmed property damage but no casualties

Ukraine launched yet another wave of drone attacks on several Russian regions overnight, The Defense Ministry in Moscow said on Wednesday morning. One strike sparked a massive fire in a residential building in the city of Rostov-on-Don.

Russian air defense units are said to have intercepted and destroyed a total of 27 UAVs across the country, including 15 over Rostov Region. 

In Rostov-on-Don, acting Governor Yury Slusar reported that a blaze broke out on the roof of a four-story apartment building after a Ukrainian drone crashed into it.

Emergency services extinguished the fire, which damaged about 250 square meters of the roof. Slusar said 15 residents were evacuated to a temporary shelter but stressed that no one was injured.

He said that drones had been intercepted in several places in the region, including Taganrog, Novoshakhtinsk, Neklinovsky, Myasnikovsky, Millerovsky, and Chertkovsky districts. According to preliminary assessments, drone fragments damaged several private houses, cars, and power lines. Local authorities will begin evaluating the damage to property during the day, Slusar said.

The governor emphasized that the main priority was the safety of civilians, adding that “the most important thing is that no one was hurt.”

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In recent months, Ukrainian forces have intensified their long-range drone operations, targeting residential areas and key infrastructure across Russia. National air defense units regularly report intercepting dozens or even hundreds of drones in a single day. However, falling debris often results in civilian casualties and significant damage to private property.

Moscow has responded to Kiev’s attacks with high-precision strikes on Ukrainian military-related facilities, maintaining that its operations are never directed at civilians.

The latest Ukrainian attacks come as Kiev is under growing domestic and international pressure to reach a negotiated settlement with Moscow.