The raid targeted a military base not far from Lake Baikal, Governor Igor Kobzev has said
Several drones have attacked a military installation in Irkutsk Region, central Russia, Governor Igor Kobzev has said. He added that this is the first case of a UAV raid in Siberia.
The attack occurred in the settlement of Sredny, about 150 km from Lake Baikal and 70 km from the regional capital, Irkutsk. One drone also struck an old building in the nearby village of Novomaltinsk, Kobzev said.
Kommersant cited Kobzev as saying that the drones were launched from a small truck, with the exact number of UAVs still unknown. Unverified clips on social media suggest the raid involved at least three small drones.
The governor said the launch site had been “blocked,” and added that there was “no threat to the lives and health of civilians.”
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Emergency services and law enforcement were dispatched to the scene, Kobzev said.
The governor did not say who was behind the attack, but several Russian and Ukrainian media outlets suggested it was orchestrated by Kiev.
Ukraine has significantly escalated drone strikes into Russia in recent weeks, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has suggested that Kiev is trying to derail the process.
In response to the raids, Russia has launched several retaliatory strikes targeting Ukraine’s defense industry facilities, as well as military assembly points and warehouses.
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