Russian city declares state of emergency after kamikaze drones target airbase | World News

A state of emergency has been declared in one of Russia’s biggest cities after a key airbase was targeted by kamikaze drones.

Videos from the scene in Voronezh, located near the Ukrainian border, show a fire in an apartment building which was hit after air defences reportedly intercepted the UAVs.

At least 16 explosions were heard in the city across two phases of the attack at 2am and 5am.

Officials said three 10-storey buildings were struck, with 35 apartments sustaining damage.

In the footage, a woman can be heard shouting: ‘Mother of God, we’ve got to get the hell out of it.’

Voronezh, the 14th largest city in Russia, is home to the Baltimor airbase where Vladimir Putin’s Su-34s bombers are based.

The planes have been deployed during the invasion of Ukraine.

Russian authorities have not admitted to any damage at the airbase itself, but no independent analysis has been carried out.

The defence ministry claimed five aircraft-type drones were shot down with a further three intercepted.

Vadim Kstenin, the city’s mayor, said: ‘People were evacuated, a nearby school was opened for them so that they could warm up.

‘All services are in place and working. I ask everyone not to touch and not to approach the [drone] debris and fragments.

‘We will repair the damage, and give people the opportunity to return home as soon as possible.’

A 10-year-old girl sustained cuts to her arm, leg and neck as windows were smashed at apartment blocks close to the Baltimor base.

Regional governor Aleksandr Gusev said: ‘An attack by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles has been repelled over Voronezh by air defence forces on duty.

‘A fire on a balcony was extinguished in one apartment block.

‘Windows were broken in two more apartment blocks and a number of private houses.

‘Operational services are already working on the ground.’

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