A Ukrainian drone slammed into the Grozny-City skyscraper in central Chechnya early on Friday, Dec. 5, triggering a powerful explosion that tore apart several floors of one of the region’s most iconic high-rises.
The first reports came from the opposition Chechen Telegram channel NYISO, later backed by Ukrainian monitoring group Exilenova+ and the Russian pro-Kremlin outlet Readovka. Images from the scene show the impact hitting around the 28th floor and blowing out the facade across multiple levels. Chechen officials have yet to comment.
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The tower houses some of the most sensitive offices in the republic – including the Chechen Security Council, the Tourism Ministry, the Audit Chamber, the regional election commission, the Justice Ministry’s local branch, United Russia’s reception office, and the state company Chechenneftekhimprom.
Exilenova+ noted the building sits next to the FSB’s Chechnya headquarters, which may have been the intended target before the drone was diverted, possibly by Russian electronic warfare.
The attack came as Russia’s aviation agency Rosaviatsia on Friday imposed temporary flight restrictions at airports in Grozny, Vladikavkaz, Magas and Mineralnye Vody due to the rising drone threat.
The strike is the latest in a growing wave of Ukrainian attacks inside Chechnya. On Dec. 2, drones hit an FSB facility in the Achkhoy-Martan district, causing significant damage.
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That same night, Ukrainian drones reportedly attacked Gudermes, another town in Chechnya. According to multiple Telegram channels, the drones targeted a site used by the Akhmat Regiment – a unit of Russia’s National Guard composed largely of Chechen fighters and directly subordinated to Chechnya’s leader, Ramzan Kadyrov.
Days earlier, on Nov. 27, another drone struck a National Guard “Akhmat-Sever” unit in the Baysangurov district and a separate military site in the Shatoi district, home to Russia’s 291st Guards Motor Rifle Regiment.
The previous wave of drone attacks in Chechnya was recorded in late 2024. On Oct. 29, 2024, Kadyrov reported a drone attack on the Special Forces University in Gudermes.
On Dec. 4, 2024, a drone struck the premises of the Kadyrov Patrol and Guard Police Regiment in Grozny. Media later reported that the target was Barracks No. 6, where 13 detained Chechens were extrajudicially murdered in January 2017.
Early in the morning of Dec. 12, 2024, drones hit the 2nd Regiment of the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs, wounding four guards, according to Kadyrov.
Another attack followed on Dec. 15 when explosions hit Grozny, with Russian Telegram channels blaming Ukrainian drones. The NIYSO channel reported at least five blasts targeting a riot police base, interior ministry forces, and a military site.
Moscow also blamed Ukrainian drones when Chechen forces launched an air-defense missile at an Azeri civilian airliner over Grozny in December 2024, triggering a months-long diplomatic standoff between Baku and Moscow until late 2025, when the two countries’ leaders publicly reconciled.