Drones target Chechnya, other north Caucasus regions in Russia (video)

On the morning of 25 December, multiple Russian regions north of the Caucasus Mountains reported drone attacks and explosions, approximately 800-850 kilometers from Ukraine’s frontline. Additionally, drones caused damaged in Russia’s Tambov Oblast, lying south of Moscow and about 300 km northeast from Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast. 

This year, Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone attacks against the military and fuel facilities within Russia, significantly disrupting fuel and ammunition supplies crucial for the Russian military. Many of such attacks targeted Russian bomb warehouses at airbases, ammunition depots, fuel processing and storage facilities deep inside Russia. Meanwhile, Russia continues its relentless nightly drone, missile, and bomb attacks on Ukraine, with strikes intensifying in recent months.

Another drone attack on Chechnya

Today’s attack on Grozny marks the fifth drone strike on Chechnya since October. All previous attacks targeted barracks of forces under Russian-installed Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

The local Chechen Telegram channel Niyso opposing the local Russian-installed Kadyrov regime reported multiple drone strikes on the capital Grozny and other areas starting around 7:20 Kyiv time:

“New drone attack on Russian personnel bases in occupied Chechnya,” Niyso wrote.

The channel reported 4-5 explosions near the 2nd Regiment facility in Grozny, with blasts heard across surrounding areas.

According to Niyso Telegram channel, drone activity continued throughout the day, with drones spotted in the Shali district and the village of Goity. The channel noted that Russian forces had recently installed several Pantsir-S1 air defense systems in Chechnya, particularly in Grozny’s Karpinka district.

During previous attacks, footage from Grozny notably captured only the attempts to shoot down incoming drones with handheld firearms.

As local media and top officials remained silent about the 25 December drone attack on Chechnya, Chechen Security Council Secretary Khamzat Kadyrov inadvertently confirmed the attacks through his Instagram post, stating,

“Information about drones hitting any object is untrue – everything was shot down!”

No damage was reported from the attack.

Ingushetia

Russia’s Republic of Ingushetia, located west of Chechnya, was the site of a fixed-wing UAV crash and explosion, possibly en route to Chechnya.

Citing local resident’s, Russian news Telegram channel Astra reported the incident near Malgobek around 8:30. This reportedly was later confirmed by the head of Ingushetia, stating that law enforcement and emergency services were investigating the circumstances of the crash.

It remains unclear whether the drone malfunctioned or was shot down.

North Ossetia

North Ossetia is located east of Ingushetia and Chechnya, with Vladikavkaz situated in the republic’s south at the foothills of the Caucasus. Drones may have targeted military facilities in the region while attempting to approach Grozny from the south, transiting through Vladikavkaz.

Around 7:40 Kyiv time, Russia’s state-funded news agency TASS reported an explosion and fire at a shopping mall in North Ossetia’s capital Vladikavkaz, citing emergency service sources. Later, TASS claimed that the emergency services told it that the fire was caused by a household gas explosion, killing one and injuring nine people.

Telegram channel Astra noted this information lacked verification, and added that media simultaneously reported a new explosion in the city and a drone attack.

The regional head later revealed the more plausible cause, citing the Russian Ministry of Defense: a fixed-wing drone had been shot down by air defense systems at 8:28 local time, with its debris causing the shopping center explosion and subsequent fire. The official added that surveillance camera footage confirmed the explosion originated from outside the building, with explosive ordnance disposal technicians searching for drone fragments.

Tambov Oblast

Additionally, drones targered an oil industry facility in Russia’s Tambov oblast.

Sources told Astra that four drones struck the linear dispatch production station of Transnefteprodukt LLC in Novonikolskoye village, causing a fire at the heating facility. Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed intercepting three drones in the region, while local authorities confirmed the fire was promptly extinguished.

According to Astra, local residents also claimed damage to the Michurinsk Progress plant, which produces equipment for aviation and missile control systems, though Astra could not verify this information.

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