A Ukrainian drone attack Wednesday on a Russian warehouse sparked an earthquake-like blast and fire that forced the evacuation of a town in Russia’s Tver region.
"The enemy hit an ammunition depot in the area of Toropets," said Yuri Podolyaka, a Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian military blogger, Reuters reported. "Everything that can burn is already burning there (and exploding)."
Earthquake monitors picked up what was thought to be a small earthquake, and NASA satellites noted a huge heat source in the same area.
Igor Rudenya, governor of the Tver region, said on Telegram that the drones had been shot down and a fire was burning, but the situation was “under control.”
Reuters showed what it said was unverified video of the warehouse explosion to George William Herbert of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies who said the footage was consistent with 200 to 240 tons of explosives detonating.
In his nightly address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not mention the blast specifically.
"A very important result was achieved last night on Russian territory and such actions weaken the enemy," he said. "I thank everyone involved. Such precision is truly inspiring."
Ukraine’s state security service earlier said the warehouse held missiles, guided bombs and artillery ammunition. Previously, Russian media had called the site a major conventional arms arsenal.
Earlier, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday it destroyed 54 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 27 over the Kursk region, 16 over Bryansk, seven over Smolensk, three over Belgorod and one over Oryol. Officials in those regions did not report any serious damage or casualties.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted border regions such as Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod. The attack on Tver, about 500 kilometers from the border, is not as common, but is an example of what Ukrainian officials have repeatedly said they want to do in order to hit Russian military infrastructure that could be used to attack Ukraine.
Ukraine’s military said Wednesday that Russia’s latest round of overnight attacks included three guided missiles and 52 aerial drones.
Ukrainian air defenses shot down 46 of the 52 drones, with intercepts taking place over the Cherkasy, Kherson, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Sumy and Vinnytsia regions, the military said.
Some information for this report was provided by Agence France-Presse and Reuters
