The key facts

  • The drone danger regime in Bashkortostan was declared at 03:47 (01:47 Moscow time) and lifted at around 12:00 local time
  • Eyewitnesses reported explosions, smoke from the northern part of Ufa, and internet outages
  • The Russian Ministry of Defense previously reported 433 drones shot down over Russian regions, including Bashkortostan

What happened in Ufa

On the morning of October 31, residents of Ufa reported explosions, after which a fire broke out in the city. This is reported by Gazeta.Ru citing the Telegram channel 'Ostorozhno, novosti' (Careful, News). According to eyewitnesses, a column of smoke rose into the sky in one of the districts; some residents also complained about internet outages.

Where the smoke was and what residents heard

The outlet UFA.AIF.ru clarifies, that the smoke appeared from the northern part of the city, where the industrial zone is located. Residents reported bangs in the air not only in Ufa, but also in Blagoveshchensk and the Iglinsky District; however, as the outlet notes, they may have mistaken them for the sounds of air defense operations.

Drone danger regime and airport restrictions

At 03:47 local time (01:47 Moscow time), a drone danger regime was declared in Bashkortostan, and restrictions were introduced at Ufa airport. The regime was lifted after about six hours — at approximately 12:00 local time.

Context

The day before, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported 433 drones shot down over Russian regions, including Bashkortostan. Separately, Gazeta.Ru wrote about a fire at warehouses in Odintsovo, Moscow Region — this is a separate incident, not connected with the events in Ufa. No official data on the causes of the fire in the Ufa industrial zone or on possible consequences is available in the published reports.