On December 25, an explosion occurred in a shopping mall in Vladikavkaz, claiming one life. The incident was caused by fragments of a downed UAV striking the building, according to the region’s head, Sergey Menyaylo.
The explosion in the shopping mall in Vladikavkaz was triggered by the fall of a downed drone, as reported by North Ossetia’s head, Sergey Menyaylo, citing the Ministry of Defense. The fixed-wing UAV was intercepted by air defense systems at 8:28 a.m. on December 25.
“Footage from the mall’s security cameras shows that the explosion originated externally. Explosive ordnance specialists are currently searching for fragments of the unmanned aerial vehicle,” Menyaylo wrote.
The blast shattered windows in the building, releasing dense gray smoke. Several people were injured, and 57-year-old janitor Ida Chivayeva lost her life. She became North Ossetia’s first civilian casualty directly linked to the ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.