A drone struck the main building of the Russian Special Forces University named after Vladimir Putin in Gudermes, Chechnya, marking the first-ever drone attack in the region, according to Russian Telegram channel Agenstvo Novosti.
Chechen ruler Ramzan Kadyrov confirmed via his Telegram channel that the attack occurred at 6:30 a.m., resulting in a fire on the roof of what he described as an “unoccupied building” on the university’s territory. No casualties were reported, and the fire was allegedly extinguished.
Agenstvo Novosti’s analysis reveals that Kadyrov’s statement omitted two crucial details: the university bears Vladimir Putin’s name, and the targeted ostensibly unused facility was, in fact, the university’s main building.
According to TASS, the building was constructed in 2016, though the university itself reported it as still under construction in 2023. The facility was designed to house a multimedia complex, a two-level multi-purpose gym, swimming pools, classrooms, a conference hall, federation offices, a cafeteria, a tactical equipment store, and administrative offices.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the university in August 2023.
Kadyrov stated that investigation agencies are working to identify those responsible for the attack, and the university continues to operate normally.
Ramzan Kadyrov is the head of the Chechen Republic, ruling the region with an authoritarian grip under the backing of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Known for his brutal governance, Kadyrov uses security forces to suppress opposition, often through severe human rights abuses such as enforced disappearances, torture, and crackdowns on LGBTQ+ individuals.
Kadyrov’s involvement extends beyond Chechnya into Russia’s war in Ukraine, where his paramilitary forces, known as the “Kadyrovtsy,” have been participating in combat operations, usually playing the role of barrier troops, preventing retreat.
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