Moscow has vowed to respond to Ukrainian attacks within its borders after a drone set on fire a warehouse allegedly storing munitions, prompting a state of emergency in Russia’s south-western Voronezh region.
The drone attack took place in a settlement in the Podgorensky district, Voronezh governor Aleksandr Gusev said Sunday. Ukrainian sources said the warehouse was targeted because it was being used to supply ammunition to Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.
“Several UAVs were detected and destroyed by on-duty air defense forces over the territory of the Voronezh region last night. A fire broke out at a warehouse due to the fall of their wreckage. Detonation of explosive items began in the Podgorensky district,” Gusev said.
He did not identify the settlement where the attack took place, but said a state of emergency had been declared there. No one was injured in the attack, but two elderly women were taken to hospital for checks, he said.
“Operational services, military and officials are working on the site to eliminate the emergency,” he said, adding arrangements have been made for the evacuation of residents from nearby villages as well.
“So far, some 50 people from three settlements have been transported to temporary accommodation centers. We are providing them with all the necessary assistance,” he said.
A Ukrainian source familiar with the matter said drones of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) targeted the warehouse because it was being used to supply ammunition to Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a state broadcaster following the attack that “the president has said that we would respond – and I am convinced that you will see it in the foreseeable future.”
“They – the United States and NATO – keep on saying that they are not at war with Russia. This is not a brave face on a bad situation, that’s what I’ll say, and they understand it perfectly well,” Lavrov said, according to state news agency TASS.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday that Ukrainian drone attacks had also been intercepted Saturday night in the border region of Belgorod.
Meanwhile, Russian attacks in Ukraine also continued on Sunday, injuring at least two people in the Kharkiv region, according to local authorities.
Further south in Kherson region, rescuers put out 14 fires due to Russian shelling that damaged residential buildings and cars, according to authorities.