Ukrainian Drone Assault Strikes Grozny High-Rise Near Kadyrovs Residence

A suspected Ukrainian drone strike early Friday caused damage to a high-rise building in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, marking one of the closest attacks to the official residence of regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov, as reported by various media outlets.

Footage shared on Telegram channels revealed shattered windows and scorched areas spanning several floors of the 28-story Business Center Grozny-City tower.

This building is part of Grozny City, a development of skyscrapers representing the postwar reconstruction of Chechnya, and it accommodates multiple regional government entities, including the Chechen Security Council and offices related to tourism and religious affairs.

The tower is situated approximately 830 meters (2,700 feet) from Kadyrov’s residence in central Grozny, according to the investigative outlet Agentstvo.

In response to the incident, civil aviation authorities enforced temporary flight restrictions at airports in Grozny and several other cities in nearby regions on Friday morning.

The Russian Defense Ministry did not include Chechnya in the list of areas where they claimed air defenses intercepted Ukrainian drones overnight. Chechen officials have yet to comment on the alleged drone strike.

The Moscow Times has been unable to verify the authenticity of the videos or confirm whether a drone was responsible for the damage.

If verified, this incident would mark the third reported drone attack in Chechnya within this week, following an attack on a military facility in Grozny on November 27 and another targeting an FSB building earlier this week.

In addition to Chechnya, Ukrainian drone strikes were reported across various Russian regions overnight.

In the Krasnodar region, a fire erupted at the Temryuk seaport, a key export hub for liquefied petroleum gas and oil products. Meanwhile, residents in Syzran, Samara region, reported explosions occurring at a Rosneft oil refinery.

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that air defenses intercepted 41 drones across five regions, including the annexed territory of Crimea.