Tatarstan Official Warns Residents to Rely on Themselves Amid Drone Strikes

In the wake of recent drone strikes hitting industrial areas in the Russian republic of Tatarstan, a top official has cautioned residents not to rely solely on air defenses for protection. The strikes, which Ukrainian intelligence claimed responsibility for, targeted facilities reportedly producing Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Deepest Drone Strikes Within Russian Territory

The drone attacks on Tatarstan mark the deepest strikes within Russian territory since the start of the war in Ukraine. The industrial areas hit are located more than 900 miles east of Russia’s border with Ukraine and approximately 600 miles east of Moscow. The strikes have expanded the potentially vulnerable territory in Russia by 195,000 square kilometers (75,000 square miles), according to the independent Russian-language outlet Verstka.

Official’s Warning to Residents

Responding to the strikes, Rustam Minnikhanov, the head of Tatarstan, suggested that the air defense system may not provide adequate protection for residents.

“You should not expect missile defense to work—it solves other tasks,” he said, without specifying what those other tasks are. Minnikhanov urged residents to take matters into their own hands, stating, “We have to decide on our own, every enterprise, every municipality, every city. The Almighty has given a chance, he said, ‘wake up, guys, no one will protect us but ourselves.’”

Targets and Casualties

Video footage shared on Telegram channels appears to show a massive fireball at a site in Yelabuga, where a complex of hostels built for employees of the special economic zone and students at the local college was damaged. The hostels are located several hundred meters from an assembly workshop for drones. Another strike reportedly targeted an oil refining unit in Nizhnekamsk, which accounts for 2.6 percent of Russia’s total annual refining capacity. Tatarstan authorities claimed there was no serious damage from the strikes and that the companies’ technological processes were not disrupted. However, reports indicate that 14 people were injured in the attacks.

Ukrainian Involvement

A source in Kyiv’s intelligence claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s operation, according to Ukrainian media reports. Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for Ukrainian intelligence, told Radio Liberty that no foreign-made weapons were used during the strikes, without directly claiming responsibility for them.

The recent drone strikes in Tatarstan have highlighted the vulnerability of Russian territory to attacks, even in areas far from the border with Ukraine. As the war continues, Russian officials are urging residents to rely on themselves for protection rather than solely depending on air defenses. The strikes have also raised questions about the extent of Ukrainian involvement in attacks on Russian soil and the potential for further escalation of the conflict.