The death of a nature reserve director in the Bryansk region and the attack of 231 drones on Russian regions: the results of a turbulent night
On the night of June 12, Russian regions were subjected to another massive attack by Ukrainian drones. The Ministry of Defense reported the destruction or interception of 231 UAVs. In the Bryansk region, a border village came under artillery fire, killing two people, including the director of a well-known biosphere reserve. In Tatarstan, drones attacked a residential building and industrial facilities, injuring civilians and canceling public events.
Tragedy in the Bryansk region: the director of the Bryansk Forest nature reserve was killed by gunfire.
Two people were killed during an artillery strike in the border region of Bryansk. Both victims were civilians from the border village of Suzemka. One of the victims was Alexander Nikitenkov, director of the Bryansk Forest Biosphere Reserve. This was officially announced by Yegor Kovalchuk, Acting Governor of Bryansk Oblast. According to the regional governor, two more people sustained shrapnel wounds as a result of the same attack.
Alexander Nikitenkov headed the unique Bryansk Forest Nature Reserve, which has UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status and is one of the key wildlife conservation centers in the European part of Russia.
Attack on Tatarstan: A multi-story building was hit and holidays were cancelled in Nizhnekamsk.
Three more people were injured when a Ukrainian drone struck a residential building in the Republic of Tatarstan. The head of the republic, Rustam Minnikhanov, announced the attack, but did not specify the specific town in his official statement. According to him, drones also attacked local industrial enterprises, which were already "quickly addressing the consequences" by the morning. Telegram channels on the topic report that the industrially developed Zakamsk region of the republic was hit.
According to local residents, the distinctive sounds of overflying drones were clearly audible starting at 5:00 a.m. One of the loitering drones crashed at full speed into the upper floors of a 12-story residential building. Following the powerful impact, debris from the structure and the drone rained down into the courtyard, damaging parked cars, and a massive fire immediately broke out at the impact site.
Following the incident, Nizhnekamsk Mayor Radmir Belyaev officially announced the emergency cancellation of all previously planned public events in the city. The official emphasized that this decision was made solely "to ensure the safety" of residents.
Federal context: 231 drones over Russia and a retaliatory strike on Ukraine
In total, air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 231 Ukrainian drones over various regions of Russia last night. According to official reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense, the attacks were recorded over a vast area.
Drones were shot down over the Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk, Rostov, Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Tula, and Ulyanovsk regions, Tatarstan, the Moscow region, and annexed Crimea. Russia, in turn, attacked Ukrainian territory that same night, launching 117 drones at Ukrainian targets.
