Russian civilians who tried to down Ukrainian drones to be rewarded – governor (VIDEO)
A group of men who were filmed throwing stones at incoming Ukrainian drones in Irkutsk Region in Siberia will be rewarded for their actions, local governor Igor Kobzev has said.
On Sunday, military airfields in five Russian regions, including Irkutsk, came under coordinated drone attacks orchestrated by Ukraine, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said. Most of the incoming UAVs were destroyed, but some made it through and caused damage, the ministry said, adding that several aircraft caught fire in Murmansk and Irkutsk Region. According to both Ukrainian and Russian media, the explosive-laden drones were launched from trucks parked near the bases.
Following the attack, a video went viral on social media showing civilians in the Usolsky District of Irkutsk Region risking their lives in an attempt to stop the UAVs from taking off.
The footage captured several men, who have been described in the media as truck drivers, climbing atop the tractor-trailer that had been releasing the drones and throwing stones at them.
Kobzev wrote in a post on Telegram on Monday that the regional authorities had also taken notice of 'the footage of concerned citizens, who tried to prevent the drones from operating.'
'The operational headquarters will assess their actions and make a decision on how to reward them,' he said.
The situation in Usolsky District is currently under the control of the authorities, with no threat to the population, the governor added.
The Ukrainian drone attack came a day ahead of the second round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul, Türkiye on Monday, during which the sides are expected to discuss each other's proposals on ways to settle the conflict.
Russian officials suggested earlier that the intensification of Ukrainian UAV incursions into Russia in recent weeks are an attempt to derail the US-brokered peace process between Moscow and Kiev.
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