Ukraine has claimed responsibility for a significant drone strike that destroyed a large Russian ammunition depot in the Tver region, marking one of the most substantial attacks on Moscow's military infrastructure since the war began. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) confirmed the strike on Wednesday, stating that the drone attack targeted a warehouse operated by the Russian defense ministry in Toropets. The depot reportedly housed a range of Russian weaponry, including Iskander tactical missile systems, Tochka-U missile systems, guided aerial bombs, and artillery ammunition.
The attack triggered a massive fire, and local air defense systems were activated to repel the drones. Videos shared on social media showed loud detonations and plumes of smoke rising from the depot complex. The regional governor, Igor Rudenya, ordered a partial evacuation of the area during the early hours of Wednesday to allow emergency services to contain the blaze. The affected residents, including children, were evacuated to neighboring towns, while no civilian injuries were reported.
NASA satellite imagery captured intense heat signatures emanating from a five-square-mile area, and earthquake monitoring stations detected what was initially thought to be a minor earthquake, further indicating the scale of the explosion. While Russian state media confirmed a drone attack in the region, they refrained from specifying the exact target, merely acknowledging that the debris from the attack caused fires.
Ukraine destroyed one of Russia’s largest weapons depots.
A drone swarm struck the depot in Toropets in the Tver region, 480 km from the frontlines.
The explosion destroyed hundreds of S-300, S-400, Iskander & North Korean ballistic missiles, causing a 2.8 magnitude earthquake pic.twitter.com/Ht6Y7put4C — Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) September 18, 2024
Ukraine's ongoing drone campaign has been ramping up in recent months, with a focus on striking key Russian military and infrastructure targets. This latest attack, targeting a site roughly 300 miles from the Ukrainian border and about 250 miles west of Moscow, is seen as part of Kyiv's broader strategy to degrade Russia's military capabilities. According to a Ukrainian security source, the strikes are designed to methodically reduce Russia's missile stockpiles. "This is part of a larger operation to weaken Russia's ability to sustain its military operations," the source told CNN, adding that further attacks on similar facilities are already in the works.
This particular strike has drawn attention for its reach, occurring far from the front lines in Ukraine, and highlights Kyiv's growing ability to hit deep into Russian territory. The use of domestically produced drones has become a hallmark of Ukraine's defense strategy, as the country has increasingly sought permission from Western allies to carry out long-range missile strikes inside Russia.
As the war continues, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pressing for authorization from key Western allies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to use long-range missiles against strategic Russian targets. These missiles, such as the U.S.-supplied ATACMS and the Anglo-French Storm Shadow, could significantly enhance Ukraine's ability to strike key military targets inside Russia. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any move to provide Ukraine with such weapons could escalate the conflict, with Kremlin officials even suggesting that such actions could provoke a nuclear response from Moscow.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry attempted to downplay the significance of the attack, claiming that 54 Ukrainian drones had targeted multiple regions in western Russia and that all had been destroyed. However, the scale of the destruction at the Toropets depot has raised questions about the effectiveness of Russia's defenses, with pro-Russian military bloggers expressing frustration. Anastasia Kashevarova, a prominent Russian war blogger, took to Telegram to criticize the Russian military, writing, "How many more mistakes can they make ... It is the third year of the special military operation, but the idiocy continues."
The attack on the depot is just one of a series of Ukrainian strikes targeting Russian military infrastructure, oil refineries, and power plants. This campaign is aimed at weakening Moscow's ability to continue its operations in Ukraine, particularly as Russian forces continue to make incremental gains in the eastern regions of the country. Earlier in the week, Russian forces claimed to have captured the town of Ukrainsk, moving closer to the key city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine.
As tensions escalate, Kyiv's allies are increasingly involved in discussions over whether to allow Ukraine to use Western-supplied missiles for deeper strikes inside Russia. However, such decisions carry significant risks, with the potential to broaden the conflict beyond Ukraine's borders and draw NATO directly into the war.
