Putin’s drone academy BLOWN UP as training centre where 10,000 learned to fly kamikaze UAVs is blitzed in Ukraine strike | The Sun

A KEY Russian facility used to train more than 10,000 kamikaze drone operators for Vladimir Putin's army has been wiped out by Ukraine.

Six people were killed and 11 wounded in last night's devastating alleged HIMARS – high mobility artillery rocket system – attack.

Dramatic footage showed people being rescued from the blitzed Zhoga Republican Centre for Unmanned Systems in Russian-occupied Donetsk city, climbing over rubble and scaling fire service ladders to get to safety.

Russian operators were taught for both strike and reconnaissance at the military training facility set up to massively increase UAV attacks against Ukraine.

Its historic buildings also housed civil servants from Russia's Department of Labour and Social Protection of the Population.

The city centre was allegedly hit by three strikes from HIMARS launchers, according to the Russia-installed proxy head in Donetsk, Denis Pushilin.

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He claimed there was a direct hit to an occupation authorities building and four civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged, the Kyiv Independent reports.

Correspondents of the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported hearing three to four blasts in the city.

The alleged Ukrainian missile strike came mere hours after the centre's head boasted of its success in training drone operators.

Dmitry Barov said: "The Republican Centre for Unmanned Systems has trained more than 10,000 military experts for the Russian army since the start of its work."

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Russia will hold a special meeting of the UN security council on Wednesday over Ukraine's attacks on Donetsk.

The city has been at the centre of multiple bombardments by Ukraine since it was taken by Russia over a year ago.

Just last week, Ukraine launched an attack on train tankers which created a raging inferno, reportedly killing two people and wounding a dozen as a huge smoke cloud filled the air.

An incoming Ukrainian shell hit the train tankers at Mushketovo train station, sending flames hundreds of feet into the sky.

Disrupting transportation networks is a key tactic for Ukraine in order to wreak havoc in Moscow-controlled parts of Ukraine and break apart Russian supply lines to the front line.

Russian puppet leader in Donetsk Denis Pushilin said at the time: "Two people were killed, including an employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations."

Major Russian newspaper Izvestia said three of its reporters were injured by the explosion.

Ukraine is now bracing for a renewed Russian assault in the eastern city of Avdiivka, located just 10km north of Donetsk.

Vitaly Barabash, the head of the Avdiivka military administration, said: "The third wave will definitely happen.

"The enemy is regrouping after a second wave of unsuccessful attacks."

Ukraine humiliated Russia on the battlefield by blowing up a £5million Russian tank using only a £300 drone earlier this month.

Footage shared by Ukraine's 59th Motorised Brigade showed the final moments of a TOS-1A Heavy flamethrower before the dramatic explosion.

The epic scene was filmed from a Ukrainian drone hovering above the soviet tank, which was later decimated.

Only weeks before, Ukrainian jet ski commandos launched a raid that struck at the heart of Putin's naval stronghold.

In the dead of night, twenty frogmen loaded up with guns, grenades and rockets embarked on a daring mission inside occupied Crimea, which Russia has spent years turning into a fortress.

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As their boots hit the ground, they were the first Ukrainian troops to set foot on the illegally annexed peninsula in almost a decade.

Kyiv then released further incredible footage of their successful midnight incursion in an added embarrassment for Russian forces.

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