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Massive Ukrainian Drone Attack Triggers Earthquake-Sized Explosion at Russian Arsenal
A powerful Ukrainian drone strike hit a Russian ammunition depot in Tver, causing a massive fireball and multiple blasts. Nearby Toropets was evacuated as the fire raged.
ND
by News Desk
2024-09-18
Massive Ukrainian Drone Attack Triggers Earthquake-Sized Explosion at Russian Arsenal

A significant Ukrainian drone attack led to an enormous explosion at a major ammunition depot in Russia’s Tver region, approximately 380 km (240 miles) west of Moscow. The blast, described by some as earthquake-sized, forced the evacuation of the nearby town of Toropets.

 

Unverified videos and images circulating on social media depict a massive fireball lighting up the night sky, with multiple detonations echoing across a nearby lake. NASA satellites detected intense heat sources covering about 14 square kilometers (5 square miles) at the explosion site. Earthquake monitoring stations also picked up what sensors interpreted as a minor earthquake.

 

Yuri Podolyaka, a pro-Russian military blogger, confirmed the attack on the ammunition depot, stating that the site was engulfed in flames and explosions. Russian state media, operating under military censorship, offered limited coverage of the event.

 

Governor Igor Rudenya of the Tver region reported that Ukrainian drones had been shot down, and a fire had erupted, prompting the evacuation of residents. By midday local time, Rudenya indicated that the situation in Toropets had stabilized, the fire was extinguished, and there were no fatalities.

 

According to a source in Ukraine’s SBU state security service, the drone strike destroyed a warehouse containing missiles, guided bombs, and artillery ammunition. There was no immediate response from the Ukrainian government.

 

The scale of the explosion, estimated to involve 200-240 tons of high explosives, has raised questions about how drones managed to trigger such a massive detonation at what was thought to be a highly fortified facility. A 2018 RIA state news agency report noted that Russia was constructing an arsenal in Toropets designed to withstand missile and even nuclear attacks, though concerns about its security are now being questioned.

 

Following the explosion, messages of support flooded into Toropets from other parts of Russia, with residents seeking information about the status of their homes in nearby Kudino village. The incident has sparked anger and criticism among some Russians, questioning the facility's preparedness and safety measures.

 

In the wake of the attack, Russia reported that its air defense systems had intercepted 54 drones targeting five regions overnight. Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed to have downed 46 of 52 Russian drones launched and reported that Russia had used three guided air missiles that did not reach their targets.

 

 

 
Tagged:

DroneAttack

UkraineRussiaConflict

TverExplosion

MilitaryCrisis
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