The Russian Ministry of Defense has reported a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on Russian territory, claiming to have shot down 54 drones over several oblasts.
According to the ministry, 27 drones were allegedly intercepted over Kursk Oblast, 16 over Bryansk Oblast, seven over Smolensk Oblast, three over Belgorod Oblast, and one over Oryol Oblast.
Notably absent from the official report was any mention of Tver Oblast, where explosions were heard overnight. Local residents in Toropets, Tver Oblast, reported that drones had attacked an ammunition depot, resulting in a fire and detonations. Social media channels were flooded with videos showing the fire and explosions.
Local authorities stated that the governor of Tver Oblast, Igor Rudenya, had ordered a partial evacuation of the population in response to the incident.
The attacked site in Toropets may be linked to a military facility constructed in 2018. Then, then-Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov said that the “Arsenal of complex storage of missiles, ammunition, and explosives” met “the highest world standards.” Bulgakov had also said that each storage unit in the arsenal could hold up to 240 tons of ammunition.
The destruction of ammunition depots is important as it disrupts the Russian logistics chain, potentially forcing them to reallocate resources and delay or abandon planned offensives while they attempt to replenish lost stockpiles.
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