Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reported on December 4 that police and security officials have cordoned off a large area near Dushanbe after a drone resembling a military unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed in a nearby town in an area where there are both Tajik and Russian military bases.
Officials have not given any details on the drone, which went down on December 3 in the town of Sharora, just 5 kilometers from Tajikistan's capital.
Eyewitness footage from the site, obtained exclusively by RFE/RL's Tajik Service, indicated that the drone struck a utility pole before crashing to the ground. The video shows flames at the crash site, which was quickly cordoned off by police and military personnel.
The incident occurred near a residential area, but no injuries or damage to homes was reported, according to local residents.
Tajikistan's Defense Ministry did not respond to RFE/RL's attempts to get comments from its representatives.
The crash site is located near significant military facilities, raising questions about the drone’s origin and purpose.
The Ayni Military Airbase, controlled by the Defense Ministry, is situated just outside Dushanbe. A Russian military base, part of the 201st Military Division, is also nearby. Both facilities play strategic roles in the regional security infrastructure.
Given the size and apparent military design of the drone, some analysts have speculated whether it could also have been a UAV from a third country.
Tajikistan has increasingly relied on drone technology in recent years, acquiring UAVs from various sources, including Turkey and China. The presence of advanced drone technology also highlights the increasing militarization of Central Asia, as nations modernize their arsenals.
The Russian military base nearby, which accounts for Moscow's largest military presence outside of Russia, also regularly conducts drone operations as part of its regional activities.
The region around Dushanbe, including the Hisor district where Sharora is located, is critical to Tajikistan’s national security.
