Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin hosts Slovak PM in rare visit and vows ‘destruction’ after Kazan drone attack
The Russian city of Kazan suffered a major drone attack from Ukrainian forces on Saturday, despite being 1,000km (620 miles) from the frontline
Residential buildings were damaged and the airport was temporarily shut down, after the drone smashed into a high-rise building and damaged a skyscraper.
Videos posted on Russian social media networks showed the damage and a fireball emerging from the building, while local authorities said there were no casualties.
Ukraine’s air defences downed 52 of the 103 Russian drones launched overnight, the Ukrainian military said on Sunday. The military said on Telegram that it had lost track of 44 drones, and another had left the territory of Ukraine to Belarus.
Meanwhile, Putin’s forces have captured the village of Kostiantynopolske in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, just six miles from the city of Kurakhove, which they have stormed and are threatening to encircle.
Earlier this week, Russian president Vladimir Putin has said he should have invaded Ukraine earlier as he used an end-of-year press conference to double down on his decision to start the war.