Drones believed to be Ukrainian have struck buildings in the Daghestani capital of Makhachkala. According to preliminary reports, several drones were detected in the city’s airspace, with one exploding in the air above an industrial zone, and another hitting a shopping centre under construction.
The drone attacks took place on Wednesday morning, between 07:00 and 11:00 local time, with the authorities saying they intercepted and destroyed 13 drones, including eight over Daghestan.
Following reports of a potential drone threat, temporary flight restrictions were introduced across several regions of the North Caucasus and southern Russia. The Federal Air Transport Agency has restricted flights to Makhachkala, Vladikavkaz, and Grozny for several hours. During the restrictions, two planes bound for Makhachkala were diverted to alternate airports.
Residents of Makhachkala reported hearing explosions and seeing flashes in the sky during the morning hours. Some reportedly tried to shoot down the drones using automatic weapons.
Daghestani Head Sergei Melikov stated that one of the drones had damaged an unspecified industrial facility.
‘At present, there are no reports of casualties or injuries. Information about possible damage is being clarified’, Melikov wrote on his Telegram channel.
The Telegram channel Mash and several other media outlets have published videos and photos from the scene, showing damaged vehicles and fragments of building structures.
Makhachkala Mayor Dzhambulat Salavov said that a single transport vehicle and several commercial properties had been damaged as a result of the attack.
The state news agency TASS, citing regional authorities, reported that several schools in Makhachkala had temporarily switched to distance learning. According to the agency, the decision was made due to the continuing risk of new drone attacks.
Ukraine has not officially confirmed its involvement in the Daghestan attack.
This is not the first time Daghestan has been targeted by drones, with its port city of Kaspiysk first being struck by a group of drones in November 2024. Kaspiysk houses one of the bases of the Russian Navy’s Caspian Sea Flotilla.
At the time, Melikov claimed there were no casualties or damage. Ukrainian intelligence, however, told the Ukrainian media outlet UNIAN that two missile ships, the Tatarstan and the Daghestan, as well as other small naval vessels, were damaged as a result of the attack.
Elizaveta Chukharova
