At least 13 people were killed and 39 others injured in a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia's Tatarstan region, officials reported Tuesday. One child was among the victims, according to Russian authorities. The incident marks one of the deadliest single attacks on Russian territory since the start of Moscow's full-scale war in Ukraine.
Kyiv has not yet commented on the attack, which targeted the city of Nizhnekamsk. The city is located more than 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) from the Ukrainian border and is home to major oil refineries and a large petrochemical company. Local sources indicated the strike occurred overnight and into the morning, with unverified social media images showing plumes of smoke and flames. Russian officials confirmed that industrial facilities and residential areas were targeted, and that civilians were among the casualties.
The head of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, confirmed the strike and offered condolences. Nizhnekamsk mayor Radmir Belayev described the event as "a tremendous pain for all of us." A period of mourning has been declared in Tatarstan.
Moscow claimed its air defenses shot down more than 450 Ukrainian drones overnight. Ukraine has increasingly conducted long-range strikes targeting warehouses or energy infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties. This development comes as Russia continues its own large-scale aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities and residential centers.