Russia reports shooting down 54 drones
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on 18 Sept. the repell of a massive drone attack, omitting any mention of an incident in Toropets, Tver Oblast, where a drone attack on a military facility reportedly caused a significant fire.
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.
A major fire also broke out at a fuel and lubricant warehouse in Yaroslavl, Russia, on 17 September, injuring four firefighters.
The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported that the blaze started around 11:00 PM at a facility storing tires and petroleum products.
However, Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations later reported that “a car service center caught fire and a gas cylinder depressurized at the site of the fire.” The ministry confirmed that four firefighters were hospitalized due to injuries sustained while battling the blaze.
Local Telegram channels shared information about the incident, with some suggesting the fire had been extinguished by the time of reporting.
This event comes weeks after reported Ukrainian drone attacks in the Oblast. At the end of August, it was reported that Ukrainian drones attempted to attack the Yaroslavl oil refinery.
Read also:
- Ukraine destroys Russian ammunition depots near occupied Mariupol, Navy says
- Russian army strikes at Kharkiv, injuring 7 people, including 4 rescuers
- US arrests Russian citizen for illegally exporting military-use electronics to Russia
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