Drone attack in Russia's Tver region: Ammunition depot on fire, evacuation ordered

This was reported by Suspilne, RBC-Ukraine, and UNIAN, citing their own sources.

At night, drones of Ukraine's Security Service, Defense intelligence and Special Forces destroyed a large warehouse of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry in the village of Toropets, Tver region. 

“The warehouse contained missiles intended for Iskander tactical missile systems, Tochka-U tactical missile systems, KABs, and artillery ammunition,” the report said.

According to the sources, in addition, significant stocks of North Korean KN23 ballistic missiles, missiles for Grad MLRS, S-30 air defense systems and ballistic missiles for the Iskander system were destroyed. 

According to the intelligence agency, the arsenal was hit by Ukrainian-made kamikaze drones. In total, more than a hundred attack drones were involved in the attack.

After the attack, an “extremely powerful” detonation began at the warehouse. It is now burning over a 6 km wide area. 

The incident was first reported by the Astra Telegram channel, BBC's Russian service, and confirmed by Tver's governor, Igor Rudenya.

The reports state that a fire broke out in the ammunition depot in Toropets, likely caused by the drone strike, leading to a series of explosions as munitions began detonating.

As a precaution, local officials initiated a partial evacuation in the vicinity, where air defense forces are actively responding and attempting to contain the fire. Residents are being relocated to the nearby town of Zapadnaya Dvina.

Additionally, due to the attack, all schools and kindergartens in the area have been closed since September 18.

Russia's air defense response

The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 54 drones overnight.

Reportedly, 27 of those were downed over the Kursk, 16 over Bryansk, 7 over Smolensk, 3 over Belgorod, and 1 over Oryol regions.

Context: Toropets is home to several military units. A previous drone strike hit one of these sites in May 2024, sparking another fire at the time.

Toropets is located in the western part of the Tver region, roughly 460 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.