Russian Air Defense Missile Collides With Building in Rostov

A Russian air defense missile has reportedly crashed into a residential building in Rostov-on-Don.

Residents described multiple explosions and said air defenses were active over the city, while Russian officials warned of a Ukrainian drone attack and issued several missile alerts, The Caspian Post reports via Ukrainian media.

Rostov Mayor Alexander Skryabin confirmed a fire at an apartment building but attributed it to debris from downed Ukrainian drones. Regional Governor Yuri Slyusar added that an industrial facility caught fire, without specifying the site, and said emergency crews were responding to both incidents.

Social media videos indicated the blaze occurred near fuel storage tanks at the Empils paint coatings factory, though it remains unclear whether the damage was caused by Ukrainian strikes or Russian defensive fire.

Independent verification of the events was impossible. Russia has a history of hitting its own territory while intercepting Ukrainian drones, and Kyiv has previously accused Moscow of staging false flag incidents. Ukraine has not yet commented on this latest incident.

Rostov-on-Don, about 100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, is a frequent target due to its port infrastructure and fuel facilities, with Ukraine regularly conducting long-range drone attacks on Russian military and industrial sites.