Ukrainian drone strike ignites ammunition depot in western Russia
An attack by a Ukrainian drone initiated a fire in the city of Toropets, situated in the Tver region of western Russia. Igor Rudenia, the head of the Tver region authorities, relayed this information on Wednesday. The fire and explosions occurred in an ammunition depot, as reported by Ukrainian media.
Igor Rudenia stated that an evacuation had been ordered for parts of the city where the firefighting operation was ongoing. The portal "Ukrainska Pravda," citing accounts from residents of Toropets, confirmed that the targeted site was an ammunition depot. A video has circulated online in which explosions can be heard and a fire is visible.
The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported that in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, Russian air defence forces neutralised 54 Ukrainian drones.
Half of the drones were shot down over the Kursk region, the ministry said. The remaining drones were destroyed over the regions of Bryansk (16), Smolensk (7), Belgorod (3), and Orel (1).
Kyiv's response to Russian aggression
Kyiv claims that attacks on Russian military, transportation, and energy infrastructure are in response to systematic Russian attacks on Ukraine, which began with the invasion in 2022. Ukrainians utilise, among other things, various models of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles for these attacks. This category primarily includes solutions such as:
Tu-141 "Strizh" UAV, Tu-143 "Reis" UAV, UJ-22 "Airborne" drone, "Beaver" drone, "Rubaka" drone.
Ukrainian drones, such as the Tu-141 "Strizh," are capable of carrying significant explosive loads over long distances. They reach speeds of up to 1,000 km/h and a range of up to 1,000 km. The Tu-143 "Reis" is a smaller, tactical drone used for reconnaissance missions with speeds of 950 km/h and a range of 180 km.
UJ-22 "Airborne" is a modern unmanned air system developed by Ukraine, characterised by exceptional precision and the ability to carry various armaments. Its controlled flight range is 100 km, and its autonomous range is up to 800 km.
The "Beaver" drone employs advanced stealth technologies to reduce its detectability. The "Rubaka" is a versatile drone with a wide range of applications, including combat and logistical purposes.
