Ukraine carried out a drone attack in the heart of Mother Russia. The Saturday morning strike was clearly meant as a message to the Kremlin. Since Vladimir Putin was talking tough on TV, in anticipation of negotiations hosted by Donald Trump to end their invasion, the Ukrainians wanted to get their position on the record, in response.
Ukraine attacks Kazan
It’s being reported on December 21 that “Ukraine brought the war into the heart of Russia Saturday morning.” They did it with “drone attacks that local authorities said damaged residential buildings in the city of Kazan.”
That happens to lie in the Tatarstan region, “over 600 miles from the front line.” Governor Rustam Minnikhanov relates that “eight drones attacked the city.” All but one caused damage.
One of the dastardly drones sent by Ukraine “was shot down over a river,” the Russian bragged. Six “hit residential buildings” and the last one “hit an industrial facility.”
There weren’t any causalities in any of the blasts but several families will be looking for a new apartment.
One video in particular is making the social media rounds because the Associated Press verified it. It shows “a drone flying into the upper floors of a high-rise building.”
The attack by Ukraine grounded all flights at Kazan’s airport. The community was further disrupted by cancellation of “all mass gatherings” for the rest of the weekend.
Another in Kursk
For “security” reasons, Ukraine isn’t admitting the drone attack in Kazan but everyone knows it was them. The Ukrainian troops also kept Russian forces hopping in Kursk on Friday. There, they attacked a town along the border “using U.S.-supplied missiles.”
Those ones Putin offered to duel against with his own Oreshnik model missiles. They’re the “ballistic” long range type and can be fitted with nuclear warheads.
Moscow was already pelting Ukraine with drones of their own. The Russians launched 113 of them overnight into Saturday. Ukraine’s Air Force shot down 57 of them.
“A further 56 drones were ‘lost,‘ likely having been electronically jammed.” Eight Ukrainians were wounded Friday night in Kharkiv.
Both Zelenskyy and Putin are ready to begin negotiations, as soon as Donald Trump gets sworn in and the conference schedule can be arranged. It’s likely that an agreement will be reached but both sides need to be willing to ease up on some of their demands.
That’s why both of them are fighting fiercely to hold every inch of the other’s territory currently occupied. That way, Russia and Ukraine can trade it back later.
