Debris from a Ukrainian drone crashed into a shopping mall in Russia’s North Ossetia region early Wednesday morning, killing a woman in the fire, local authorities confirmed. The Russian Defense Ministry said the fire at the four-story Alania Mall in Vladikavkaz was caused by debris from a drone that hit a Russian air defense system.
Regional Governor Sergey Menyailo said on his official Telegram account that the drone was shot down at 08:28 Moscow time (05:28 GMT), causing an explosion and subsequent fire inside the mall. “A woman was reported murdered inside the shopping center,” he wrote. However, Reuters could not independently verify the governor’s claims and there was no immediate response from Ukraine.
The fire reportedly broke out before the mall opened for business, and initial reports said a cleaning worker was among the casualties. Russian emergency services said the fire was contained to the first floor of the upper floors, and television footage showed smoke billowing from the building. Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced that 119 Ukrainian drones were destroyed in the past 24 hours.
Another drone also landed in the town of Malgovek in neighboring Ingushetia, but no injuries or damage were reported, regional leader Mahmud Ali Kalimatov said.
