Ukrainian Drone Strike Targets Arms Depot in Russia's Tver Region
A suspected Ukrainian drone strike occurred overnight in Russia's Tver region, located northwest of Moscow, reportedly targeting an arms depot. Emergency responders rushed to extinguish a significant fire ignited by the drone attack, while nearby residents were evacuated from the area.
Videos shared on social media, including on the Astra Telegram channel, captured the scene of the drone strike, showcasing flames erupting into the night sky near the town of Toropets in western Tver. This town is not unfamiliar with such incidents, as it houses a Russian military unit that has been attacked by Ukrainian drones in the past. In 2018, Russian state news agency RIA reported plans for an arms depot in Toropets intended for storing missiles and explosives.
Igor Rudenya, the Governor of the Tver region, confirmed via his Telegram channel that wreckage from a Ukrainian drone ignited the fire in Toropets, although he did not specify what types of materials were involved in the blaze. He noted that Russian air defense units were engaged in efforts to fend off a larger drone assault.
In the aftermath of the attack, Russian state media indicated that local kindergartens and schools in the Zapadnodvinsk district, which borders Toropets, were closed temporarily, although the reasons for this action were not made clear.
Reports emerged that residents of the nearby village of Tsikarevo, situated near the arms depot by a lake, were unable to evacuate and had sought assistance. Astra reported that locals requested five boats for their evacuation, but communication with them was reportedly lost, leading to concerns that the village might have faced severe destruction.
The Russian Defense Ministry has not provided specific details regarding the Tver incident. However, they announced that 54 Ukrainian drones aimed at five western Russian regions were neutralized overnight, implying that all targeted drones were destroyed. The Defense Ministry noted that half of these drones were shot down over the Kursk region, while strikes were also reported in the Bryansk, Smolensk, Oryol, and Belgorod regions.
Authorities in the Smolensk region, which borders Belarus, and the Bryansk region, which shares a border with Ukraine, also reported that drones had been intercepted.
While Kyiv has not issued a statement on the incident in Tver, it has previously clarified that its operational strikes against Russian targets are aimed at military, energy, and transportation infrastructure, which are deemed critical to Russia's ongoing military actions in Ukraine.
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