Thirteen people were injured in Russia’s Tver region following a large Ukrainian drone attack that sparked a fire, according to the Russian health ministry. Unverified footage appears to show a massive explosion in the town of Toropets, with video circulating on social media depicting detonations and smoke filling the sky.
A partial evacuation was ordered after the early Wednesday morning strike, but the regional governor later advised residents to return, stating that the town’s infrastructure was functioning normally. Ukrainian sources, quoted by AFP and Reuters, claim a major ammunition depot was hit in the attack.
The military site in Russia’s Tver region reportedly stored fuel tanks, artillery shells, ballistic missiles, and explosives in several warehouses—weaponry used in Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. This recent Ukrainian attack targeted a significant military arsenal, reportedly valued at nearly £30 million ($39 million), and resulted in a series of explosions. NASA confirmed multiple heat sources from satellite imagery, and a light-magnitude earthquake was even recorded in the surrounding area.
Despite Ukraine’s desire to use missiles supplied by Western allies, such as the US and UK, it relied on domestically produced drones for this strike. Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, claimed on Telegram that, in addition to Russian ammunition, including Grad rockets, North Korean missiles had also been stored at the site. However, these claims remain unverified by the BBC.
In a video address on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, without naming specific targets, praised the strike, stating: “There is a significant outcome from last night on the territory of Russia, and this is the type of action that weakens the enemy. I thank all those involved. Such inspiring precision.”
Toropets, the town hit in the attack, is located roughly 380 km (236 miles) northwest of Moscow and about 470 km north of Ukraine’s border.
Chimmy Liya