Former Russian State Duma deputy Ilya Ponomaryov, now an opposition figure residing in Ukraine, survived a drone attack on his home near Kyiv on 1 August 2024.
According to Obozrevatel sources, a Shahed-series kamikaze drone struck Ponomaryov’s house, exploding five meters from the main entrance overnight on 1 August. The attack left Ponomaryov with multiple shrapnel wounds, though his life is not in danger. The politician is currently safe and under protection, as reported by the sources.
Ponomaryov, known for being the only State Duma deputy to vote against the annexation of Crimea in 2014, has been living in exile since 2016. He was granted Ukrainian citizenship in 2019 by then-President Petro Poroshenko.
This incident follows a previous attack on 31 July, when three drones reportedly targeted Ponomaryov’s property but were intercepted by air defense systems, causing only minor damage.
Ponomaryov himself commented on the attack via X/Twitter, stating,
“Today seems to be my second birthday.” He claimed this was the fifth attempt on his life, describing it as “the most non-standard and most successful, which was difficult to defend against.”
The Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast police are investigating the incident. Ukrainian military officials earlier reported that two people were hospitalized due to injuries from drone debris in the latest Russian strikes.
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