Two airports in Tatarstan briefly suspended operations due to flight safety concerns
FILE PHOTO. A Pantsir-S1 air defense missile system. © Sputnik
The Russian military has thwarted a Ukrainian drone raid on the Republic of Tatarstan in the central part of the country, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, the ministry said what it called a terrorist attack involved one Ukrainian unmanned aircraft, which was shot down.
While it did not give any details as to the exact location, Mash Telegram channel reported that the drone was shot down over the village of Verkhny Uslon on the right bank of the Volga River, across from the city of Kazan. Shot Telegram channel reported, citing eyewitnesses, that the drone was headed for a nearby industrial zone which specializes in oil extraction.
The Republic of Tatarstan is located more than 1,000km from border with Ukraine.
Due to the drone raid, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency briefly suspended operations in Nizhnekamsk and Kazan airports in Tatarstan, citing flight safety concerns. The restrictions lasted for about two hours, during which time three planes were diverted to other airports, the agency said.
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On Tuesday, Kazan hosted ‘Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2024,’ a major event focused on promoting business opportunities, investment, science, tourism and technology.
Ukraine routinely launches drone attacks against Russian targets, with many recent strikes targeting oil facilities and civilian infrastructure. A CNN report last month suggested that many of Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes are backed by Western countries that help to chart flight paths for the UAVs.
