Tajik citizen killed in Ukrainian drone attack

A citizen of Tajikistan was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack on the night of August 9–10 in the city of Nizhnekamsk, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation.

Russia’s Interior Ministry reported that the attack killed nine foreign nationals, including one citizen of Tajikistan and eight citizens of Uzbekistan. Around 20 other people were injured.

Russian law enforcement agencies claim that Ukrainian drones attacked industrial and civilian facilities in Nizhnekamsk. Meanwhile, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces stated that the target of the attack was the TANECO oil refinery. Following the incident, a day of mourning was declared in the Republic of Tatarstan.

Radio Ozodi, citing representatives of the Tajik diaspora in Nizhnekamsk, reported that the victim was Tajik citizen Ramazonali Basirov. According to the report, he was a 30-year-old native of Bobojon Gafurov district in Sughd region. The outlet noted that Basirov had arrived in Russia for work just a month earlier.

According to reports, Ramazonali Basirov worked for the Turkish company Yamata in Nizhnekamsk, which is involved in building a chemical plant. Based on a copy of his work permit, he was employed as a crane operator. He lived in the company’s dormitory along with other migrant workers.

Ramazonali Basirov is survived by two young children.

It was reported that the victim’s body will be transported from Kazan to the city of Khujand on August 13. The employer and authorities of the Republic of Tatarstan have reportedly promised to cover all costs of transporting the body and to pay compensation to his family.

According to official data, two more Tajik citizens were injured in the Ukrainian drone attack. Tajikistan’s Foreign Ministry stated that the two injured citizens are currently being treated at a hospital in Nizhnekamsk, with their condition described as stable but serious. Their names have not been disclosed, and it remains unknown which cities or districts of Tajikistan they are from.

Authorities in Tatarstan stated that families of those killed will receive compensation of 2 million rubles, while the injured will receive between 300,000 and 600,000 rubles depending on the severity of their injuries.

In recent months, Ukraine has intensified drone attacks on key facilities in Russia, including oil refineries, oil storage depots, industrial and logistics sites, as well as warehouses belonging to major retail companies and marketplaces. Many of these facilities employ labor migrants, including those from Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries. As a result, they face serious security risks alongside local residents, with a high likelihood of injury or death from such attacks.