Rostov blast blamed on misfired Russian defense missile
A Russian air defense missile appears to have crashed into a residential building in Rostov-on-Don overnight on Jan. 14, according to eyewitness accounts and footage shared on social media.
Residents reported multiple explosions and said air defenses were active over the city, with Russian officials warning of a Ukrainian drone attack and issuing several missile alerts for the region, News.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.
Rostov-on-Don Mayor Alexander Skryabin confirmed a fire at an apartment building but claimed it was caused by debris from downed Ukrainian drones. Regional Governor Yuri Slyusar also said an industrial facility had caught fire, without identifying the site, and noted that emergency crews were working at both scenes.
Social media videos suggested the blaze was near fuel storage tanks at the Empils paint coatings factory, though it remained unclear whether the damage came from Ukrainian strikes or Russian defensive fire.
Independent verification of the claims was not immediately possible, and the circumstances surrounding the suspected self-inflicted strike remained uncertain.
Russia has previously hit targets on its own territory while attempting to intercept Ukrainian drones. Kyiv has also accused Moscow of staging false flag incidents to fuel narratives about the war. Ukraine has not yet commented.
Ukraine regularly conducts long-range drone attacks on Russian military and industrial sites. Rostov-on-Don sits roughly 100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border and has become a frequent target due to its port infrastructure and fuel facilities.
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