The drone attack on Dzerzhinsk on 11 September 2026 was a large-scale strike by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles against the territory of the Nizhny Novgorod Region in the night of 10–11 September 2026. All 51 UAVs were shot down; however, falling debris damaged apartment buildings, private homes, vehicles, and other civilian infrastructure in Dzerzhinsk. There were no human casualties.[1][2]
Course of Events
On the night of 11 September, a UAV-threat alert was declared over the Nizhny Novgorod Region: according to the Unified State Emergency Prevention and Response System (RSChS), it was in effect from 22:21 to 6:25.[2] Due to the aerial threat, operations at Chkalov Airport were restricted from approximately 23:00; from 4:22 the airport switched to accepting and dispatching flights subject to coordination with the authorized authorities, and at around 6:30 all restrictions were fully lifted.[2] Governor Gleb Nikitin reported that 51 UAVs had been shot down over the Region, describing the volume of fallen debris as significant.[2] Dzerzhinsk Mayor Mikhail Klinkov called the attack one of the most large-scale since the beginning of the preceding period.[1]
According to a Russian Ministry of Defence summary, between 8:00 p.m. on 10 September and 8:00 a.m. on 11 September a total of 777 Ukrainian UAVs were intercepted over the country's territory across 18 regions, as well as over the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.[2]
Consequences and Official Response
During the night, Mikhail Klinkov, together with his deputies, heads of relevant agencies, and emergency services, went to the sites where debris had fallen. In the morning, specialists began inspecting damage to residential yards and social facilities. Staff from the MBU "Gorod" cleared the roads, ensuring the passage of private and public transport.[1] An operational command center continued to function in the city; Governor Nikitin kept the situation under his personal oversight.[3]
The authorities promised to provide assistance to residents whose property was damaged; the Nizhny Novgorod Region prosecutor's office took oversight of their rights and accepted complaints by phone at 8(903)602-22-20.[3] The Mayor urged residents not to approach unfamiliar objects and, upon discovering any suspicious items, to call 112 or 8(8313)39-09-00.[3]
By decision of the regional operational headquarters, publishing photos and videos from UAV crash sites is prohibited — violators face administrative liability. The authorities explained that such materials could help the enemy adjust its actions and cause damage to civilian infrastructure.[1][3]
Context
The attack of September 11 was not the first in a series of strikes on Dzerzhinsk in 2026. The most massive raid prior to that date remained the attack of August 19. In August, 51 drones were also shot down over the city — their total number at the time was 52.[1][3] The previous attack on the Region was repelled on September 7, and before that — three nights in a row at the end of August.[2]
Sources
- NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — Dzerzhinsk Mayor Klinkov comments on the overnight UAV attack (archive)
- GIPERNN — "A lot of debris": Nikitin on the attack of 51 drones on Nizhny Novgorod Region
- GIPERNN — The Mayor speaks about one of the most massive UAV attacks on Dzerzhinsk