Drone warfare hit Russia’s Samara region again overnight into Thursday, leaving one person dead in Novokuibyshevsk and triggering damage to a residential building in Samara. Local authorities said the attacks also forced emergency crews to work at the scene as residents were evacuated. Officials and local residents described fires, broken windows, and an air raid alert across the region.
One Dead in Novokuibyshevsk as Drone Warfare Continues
Samara Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said one person was killed in the industrial city of Novokuibyshevsk after unspecified industrial facilities were targeted in the overnight attack. Local reports also said the Novokuibyshevsk petrochemical plant was struck and was on fire after the incident.
In Samara, two people were injured when a drone struck a residential building. One injured person was inside the premises and the other was on the street, and both were hospitalized. Residents said explosions were heard overnight, followed by damage to the upper floors of a high-rise building and a fire that broke out there.
Damage, Fire, and Evacuations in the Region
Emergency services were working at the scene, and residents of the damaged building were being evacuated. Kurumoch Airport temporarily suspended the reception and departure of flights as the situation developed. Information on the extent of the damage was still being clarified.
The overnight strikes came as the region faced its second night in a row of drone warfare. Residents in Novokuibyshevsk also reported explosions, and an air raid alert was announced in the region.
What Officials and Residents Said
Fedorishchev’s statement was the clearest official confirmation from the region, with the governor naming one death in Novokuibyshevsk and describing the target as industrial facilities. Local residents added details about the sequence of explosions, the fire, and the evacuation effort, but the full scope of damage remained unclear Thursday morning.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted 154 Ukrainian drones countrywide between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. In Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said two people were killed in separate overnight strikes, bringing the total reported deaths across Russia to at least three. Drone warfare is now unfolding across multiple regions at once, with local authorities still assessing the toll.
Quick Context and What Comes Next
The attacks come after unconfirmed reports in Russian and Ukrainian media said the Rosneft-operated Novokuibyshevsk refinery was struck. Industry earlier this week that primary processing at the refinery had already been halted since April 18 after a prior drone strike.
For now, officials are still piecing together the damage in Samara, Novokuibyshevsk, and nearby sites. The next updates on drone warfare will likely focus on casualty confirmation, plant damage, and whether flight restrictions or evacuations remain in place.
