A view shows a damaged multi-storey residential building following an alleged Ukrainian drone attack in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict, in Kazan, Russia December 21, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Ukrainian drones attacked the Russian city of Kazan and the airport there was temporarily closed, Russian media and aviation authorities said on Saturday.
Russian state news agencies reported the drone attack on a residential complex in Kazan, a city some 500 miles (800 km) east of Moscow.
The Defence Ministry said the city had been attacked by three waves of drones between 7:40 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. (0440 and 0620 GMT).
There were no casualties reported, agencies said, citing local authorities. The mayor of Kazan said on Telegram that all planned mass events in the city would be cancelled over the weekend and that authorities would offer temporary accommodation to evacuees.
The Baza Telegram channel, which is close to Russia's security services, published unverified video footage showing an aerial object crashing into a high-rise building, producing a large fireball.
The Kazan airport temporarily halted flight arrivals and departures, Russia's aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said via Telegram.
Rosaviatsia said it was also introducing temporary restrictions at two other airports, in Izhevsk, a smaller city northeast of Kazan, and in Saratov, which lies some 400 miles (650 km) south of Kazan. The restrictions at Saratov were later lifted.
(Writing by Lucy PapachristouEditing by Alexandra Hudson and Frances Kerry)
