ALBAWABA- A Ukrainian long-range drone struck the Grozny City business center, one of Chechnya’s tallest landmarks, early Friday, triggering a major fire, blowing out windows across several floors, and forcing mass evacuations in the heart of the regional capital, according to Russian media.
No fatalities were reported, though multiple people were treated for smoke inhalation as emergency crews cleared the surrounding area.
Videos shared on Telegram and X captured flames shooting from the upper levels of the 145-meter tower, which houses key government institutions, including the Chechen Security Council, Audit Chamber, and election commission.
Residents described a powerful explosion followed by smaller secondary blasts. Russian authorities quickly imposed temporary flight restrictions at Grozny Airport and at facilities in Makhachkala and Vladikavkaz as firefighters battled the blaze, bringing it under control within two hours. Structural inspections are underway, and debris removal is expected to disrupt central-city traffic through the weekend.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov condemned the strike as an act of “terrorism,” vowing retaliation on his Telegram channel. The Russian Defense Ministry said it intercepted 12 Ukrainian drones overnight, four of them over the North Caucasus, but confirmed one successful impact in Grozny.
Kyiv has not issued an official statement, though Ukrainian intelligence sources suggested the operation targeted “symbols of the regime” tied to President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.
The strike marks another escalation in Ukraine’s expanding long-range drone campaign, which has intensified as diplomatic talks stall. Since November, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has hit more than 50 deep targets across Russia, including Moscow business towers, oil depots in Siberia, and military facilities, aiming to undermine Russia’s war economy and psychological resilience.
Chechnya, a key loyalist region supplying thousands of fighters to the front, has been struck three previous times this year, including attacks on FSB offices and police barracks.
