Russian oppositionist Ponomarev reportedly injured in drone attack near Kyiv

A Russian kamikaze drone struck the house of a former Russian lawmaker, Ilya Ponomarev, in Kyiv's outskirts overnight on Aug. 1, injuring the anti-Kremlin politician, Ukrainian media reported, citing sources.

The incident was reported a day after three drones allegedly hit an area near Ponomarev's house during a previous attack on July 31.

The Obozrevatel outlet wrote that the Russian Geran-2 drone exploded five meters from the Russian-Ukrainian politician's house, damaging it. Ponomarev suffered multiple shrapnel wounds, but his life is not in danger, the outlet wrote, sharing a photo of the wounded politician.

RBC Ukraine also reported that according to its law enforcement sources, Ponomarev's house was hit in the overnight attack.

According to Obozrevatel's sources, the two attacks in a row suggest that Ponomarev has been directly targeted by Russia. The claim could not be immediately verified, but the Kremlin has often carried out targeted assassinations against its opponents living abroad.

The politician is now under protection, Obozrevatel added.

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According to an official police report, a man and his wife were injured during the attack on Kyiv Oblast. The police did not mention the names of the victims.

"Today seems to be my second birthday. The fifth attempted attack was the most unconventional and the most successful," Ponomarev wrote on X in the morning, promising details later.

Ponomarev, 48, was the only member of Russia's State Duma to vote against Moscow's illegal seizure of Crimea in 2014. He subsequently fled to the U.S. and later to Ukraine, obtaining Ukrainian citizenship in 2019.

After Russia's full-scale invasion broke out in 2022, Ponomarev joined Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces and called upon Russian citizens to take up arms against the Kremlin.

Moscow added the politician to its list of terrorists and extremists in January 2023 and charged him with treason in February this year.

Ponomarev was cooperating closely with the Freedom of Russia Legion – an armed group of Russians fighting on Kyiv's side – but the formation announced on July 31 that it was breaking ties with the politician.