Estonian Intelligence chief says Ukrainian strikes on ammo depots worsen Russia’s munitions crisis
Russia's mounting ammunition crisis worsened after Ukrainian forces launched precision drone strikes on key depots, killing six North Korean officers stationed with Russian troops, according to Estonian intelligence. The attacks highlight Ukraine's expanding long-range capabilities and Russia's growing dependence on North Korean supplies.
Ukrainian strikes on artillery ammunition depots will further exacerbate the shortage of Russian munitions, said Colonel Ants Kiviselg, head of the Estonian Defense Forces’ Intelligence Center, according to ERR.
Ukraine continues its drone assaults deep into Russian territory, targeting ammunition depots, Kiviselg noted.
Recently, the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck a central missile and artillery depot in the settlement of Karachev in the Bryansk region. According to open sources, the depot stored ammunition from North Korea. It is the fourth artillery ammunition depot destroyed in drone attacks.
Kiviselg mentioned that these attacks on Russian military depots are likely to continue, which will further worsen the Russian ammunition shortage.
He also said that a precise strike by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on 3 October killed six North Korean officers who were stationed at Russian positions in the combat zone.
“Rumors have surfaced on Russian social media about the possible arrival of North Korean units in Ukraine.
At the same time, Ukrainian officials commented that North Korean soldiers are accompanying ammunition deliveries. Their role is to record defects and monitor the use of the ammunition,” the colonel noted.
Based on the information about the arrival of North Korean officers, it appears that Russia is becoming increasingly reliant on North Korean support to sustain its military operations, he added.
Earlier, Estonian intelligence reported Russia’s significant loss of ammunition following a Ukrainian drone strike on a storage facility in Toropets, Tver Oblast, in western Russia on 18 September.
Estonia spymaster: Russia loses 2-3 month worth of shells in Toropets strike
Kiviselg said that the attack destroyed approximately 750,000 shells, which is equivalent to a 2-3 month supply for Russian forces.
Related:
- Ukraine’s Tver ammo depot attack featuring jet drones lowers Russian threat to Baltics
- Massive drone assault targets Russian ammo depot and arsenal across multiple regions
- ISW: Ukrainian drone attack on Russian ammo depot in Tver proves value of long-range strikes
- Estonian defense company to launch anti-drone missile system production in Ukraine
- Russia behind cyberattacks on Estonia, investigation finds
- Estonian Defense Minister: West should change “support for war” to “support for Ukraine’s victory”
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