Ukrainian drone debris triggered a fire in an apartment block northwest of Moscow, wounding seven people, Russian authorities said Friday.
The nighttime attack at Tver, a city some 180 kilometers (110 miles) from the Russian capital, came amid a heightened drone campaign by Ukraine as peace efforts drag on.
The regional interim Governor Vitaly Korolyov said on Telegram that six adults and a child were injured and around 20 people had to be evacuated from the apartment block in the city of more than 400,000 people.
"At Tver, we are battling the consequences of the fall of debris from a drone on a residential building," he said.
An AFP video from the site showed a damaged apartment block, with burnt-out windows across a few floors, while a CCTV overnight footage showed a drone crashing into the building.
"We saw a huge flame. It was a very strong flame. It was only later, after the fire was extinguished, that we could see what a tragedy it was and what had happened there," Natalia, who lives in a neighboring house, told AFP.
A circus close to the apartment block was also hit, according to AFP's video.
Ukraine, which has been fighting off near daily shelling and aerial attacks since the start of Russia's assault in February 2022, has launched drone strikes that it says target Russian military and energy infrastructure.
The Russian army said it had intercepted 90 Ukrainian drones overnight.
This comes after one of Kyiv's largest attempted barrages on Russia of the war Thursday, when almost 300 drones were shot down.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
