Residents of Kireyevsk, a small town in Russia, are outraged and shocked that an alleged Ukrainian drone was downed over their houses, causing severe damage to their properties and putting their lives in danger. The incident occurred on Sunday, and the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that the drone had been electronically disabled before crashing into Kireyevsk, a town of about 25,000 inhabitants, located 220 km (140 miles) south of Moscow.
Despite the Russian government’s claims, the residents are furious that the drone was allowed to crash onto their homes. Many believe that the Ukrainian military should have taken precautions to prevent the incident from happening. “It’s absolutely outrageous to shoot it down over a residential area. There’s a field just 500 meters from here. They could have shot it down over there. Why over our houses? People were wounded,” said Elena, a resident of Kireyevsk.
According to reports, several family houses suffered damage to roofs, ceilings, and windows. The impact of the drone caused a large crater, and emergency services reported that three people had been hurt, though none seriously. A Reuters camera crew observed the destruction, but the main impact site was closed to the media.
Residents are now worried about the safety of their homes and their loved ones. “What if the children had been at home? They would have been killed. Nobody gave it a thought. It was allowed to happen. They just don’t care. I have no other explanation,” said Elena.
Some residents, who have experience in aviation, are surprised at the lack of precaution taken by the Ukrainian military. Yuri Ovchinnikov, who graduated from an aviation academy, said, “I know how it works. Why didn’t they shoot it down, I wonder? They were caught napping. And they should be honest about it.”
Meanwhile, Svetlana, a seventy-year-old resident, was in tears as she recounted her neighbor’s narrow escape and the damage inflicted on her home. “We don’t know what to do. I walk into my house – the floors crack, the walls crack. I’m afraid to go in,” she said.
Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, did not respond to a request for comment. The government typically withholds comment on reports of attacks inside Russia.
The incident has left the residents of Kireyevsk shaken, and they are now calling for answers and assurances that similar incidents will not happen in the future.
