Three Russian military personnel were killed by the wreckage of a Ukrainian drone that was shot down and fell onto a military base deep in Russia, the country’s Defense Ministry said.
“On December 26, around 01:35 Moscow time, a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down at low altitude as it approached the Engels military airfield in the Saratov region,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Monday.
“As a result of the drone falling, three Russian technical personnel personnel who were on the airfield were fatally wounded.”
The ministry added that the aviation equipment was not damaged. On Monday, Roman Buzargin, the governor of the Saratov region, said that civil infrastructure facilities were also not damaged in the incident.
The airbase near the city of Saratov is located about 730 kilometers (450 miles) southeast of Moscow, far from the front line of the Russian war with Ukraine. But it was also hit on December 5 in an attack by Ukrainian drones on two Russian air bases that day.
The twin attacks caused Moscow a significant loss of reputation and raised questions about why its defense failed, according to analysts.
Ukraine has never publicly claimed responsibility for attacks within Russia, but has stated that such incidents are the “karma” for the Russian invasion.
Drones proved to be the leading weapon for both sides during the conflict. Ukraine has accused Iran of delivering drones that Russia has used against civilian infrastructure, including in the capital Kiev.
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In the meantime, Ukraine has used sea and air drones to attack the Crimean port of Sevastopol, home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and target Russian air bases in Crimea and beyond.