Drone Strike on Grozny City Tower Sparks Kadyrov’s Vow of Retaliation

A drone struck one of the high-rise buildings in the Grozny City complex, an incident that triggered a sharp response from Ramzan Kadyrov, who called the attack a futile attempt to intimidate civilians and vowed that the Ukrainian side would soon receive what he described as a “personal gift.” He emphasized that no one was injured and that restoration work on the building would be completed quickly.

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Ramzan Kadyrov, August 2024

Grozny City Hit by UAV, but No Casualties Reported

The head of Chechnya confirmed during a government meeting that a Ukrainian unmanned aircraft targeted one of the towers in the Grozny City complex. He described the strike as an effort to pressure the civilian population and compensate for failures on the battlefield. According to Kadyrov, “those unable to achieve success in combat resort to attacking civilian infrastructure.” He called the hit on the tower “a clear sign of weakness.”

Kadyrov Promises Swift Retaliation

Kadyrov reiterated that the attack caused no injuries. He added that his response “will not take long” and that the damaged building will be restored without delay. He vowed that the opposing side would soon receive a direct and personal reply from him.

The Grozny City Complex

Grozny City consists of seven modern skyscrapers in the heart of Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, covering an area of 4.5 hectares. The complex includes residential apartments, office spaces, a hotel, a shopping center, and several restaurants. Its tallest tower stands 145 meters high, or 154 meters including the spire. Construction began in 2007, with the entire complex opening to the public in 2011.

Flight Restrictions and Recent Drone Activity

On the morning of December 5, flight restrictions were enforced twice at Grozny Airport, from 6:25 to 8:55 and from 10:10 to 10:40 Moscow time. Such measures are typically introduced when there is a threat of drone activity. Since the start of the military operation in Ukraine, various Russian regions have periodically faced UAV attacks. During the night of December 1–2, Russian air defenses intercepted drones over nine regions, including Chechnya, destroying forty-five devices in total, four of them above the Chechen Republic. Additional flight restrictions were introduced that same night in airports across seven Russian cities, including Grozny.