October 29, 2024
A Chechen special forces training academy in Gudermes was struck by a drone attack early Tuesday, marking the first reported drone strike on Chechen soil since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Russian Special Forces University, known for training thousands of troops deployed to Ukraine, sustained damage to an empty building’s roof, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov reported.
“At 6:30 a.m., an unmanned aerial attack caused a fire on the roof of an unoccupied building within the Russian University of Special Forces,” Kadyrov stated on Telegram. He confirmed there were no casualties or injuries and that the fire was quickly contained. Investigations are underway to determine those responsible for the attack.
The Russian Special Forces University plays a prominent role in Russia’s military operations, with its training programs covering an array of combat tactics, including shooting, artillery, and parachute operations. According to the Kremlin, over 47,000 troops trained at the facility have been sent to the front lines in Ukraine.
While drone attacks have become common in areas closer to Ukraine and on Russia’s western border, this strike in the North Caucasus region underscores the evolving nature of the conflict and could signal an expansion of hostilities into previously unaffected areas.
