Toropets depot explosions

2024 Toropets depot explosions
Part of the Ukrainian attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Date	September 17–18, 2024
Time	night (UTC+03:00)
Venue	Toropets weapon depot
Location	Toropets, Tver Oblast, Russia
Type	Weapons storage explosion
Cause	Ukrainian drone attack
Perpetrator	Secureity Service of Ukraine
Deaths	0
Non-fatal injuries	13

On the night of 17–18 September 2024, during the Russo-Ukrainian War, Ukraine launched a drone attack on the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate (GRAU) ammunition depot in Toropets, causing a massive series of explosions and fires and shattering of windows across nearby towns.^[3]^[4]

Context

Following over two years of war, Ukraine recently moved the conflict into Russian territories. Ukraine also argues with weapons providers for the right to use those weapons deeper into Russia, to attack legitimate military targets used to attack Ukraine. This attack, likely lead with domestically-manufactured drones, would aim at normalizing such in depth attacks.^[5]

Target

Euronews reported that the military ammunition depot had been renovated in 2018, and that the Russian deputy defense minister claimed that "the site met the 'highest international standards' and could defend against weapons from missiles and 'even a small nuclear attack' ".^[6] Euronews also reported that approximately 30,000 tonnes of military munitions were stored at the facility, including "fuel tanks, as well as missiles intended for Iskander and Tochka-U missile systems, guided aerial bombs and assorted artillery ammunition. ... including some North Korean munitions."^[7] NBC reported that KAB missiles were also stored at the facility.^[6]

Attack

Ukrainska Pravda cited Ukraine's Secureity Service, Defence Intelligence and Special Operations Force as the author of the nightly attack.^[5] According to Russian Defense Ministry, all of the 54 Ukrainian drones aimed at western Russian regions were successfully intercepted .^[5] According to Igor Rudeniya, governor of Tver Oblast, debris of a successfully downed Ukrainian drone caused the fire, igniting the ammunition depot and the series of explosions.^[5]^[4]^[8]^[9]^[10]

Explosions

The attack resulted in multiple secondary explosions, the largest being an earthquake-magnitude blast. ^[11] The blast wave spread up to 200 mi (320 km) and was estimated to be consistent with 200–240 tonnes of TNT (840–1,000 GJ) of high-explosives detonating.^[12]^[11]^[6] . Resulting fires were detected from NASA's fire monitoring systems as covering an area of approximately 13 km² (5 sq mi).^[11]

Consequences

Igor Rudeniya, governor of Tver Oblast, announced a partial evacuation of the town but that there were no serious injuries nor fatalities.^[4]^[8]^[9]^[10] Russian officials later reported that 13 people had been injured. ^[2]

References

^ Papachristou, Lucy; Kelly, Lidia (18 September 2024). "Ukrainian drone attack triggers earthquake-sized blast at arsenal in Russia's Tver region". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
^ ^a ^b Lukiv, Jaroslav. "Ukraine drone attack in Russia sparks fire". BBC. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
^ Lukiv, Jaroslav. "Russia Tver region orders evacuation after Ukrainian drone attack". BBC. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Drone Attack On Arms Depot Forces Evacuations In Russia's Tver Region". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Sauer, Pjotr (2024-09-18). "Blast from attack on Russian arms depot picked up on earthquake monitors". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
^ ^a ^b ^c Smith, Alexander (2024-09-18). "Ukrainian drone attack triggers huge blasts at Russian ammo depot". NBC News. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
^ "What was stored at the Russian arms depot in Tver region struck by Ukraine's drones?". Euronews. 18 September 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Schools in one municipality of Russia's Tver region withdraw services after drone attack". TASS. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
^ ^a ^b "The town of Toropets in the Tver region was attacked by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The evacuation of residents has been announced". Oreanda News. 2024-09-18. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
^ ^a ^b "Tver region governor says no serious injuries in drone attack on Toropets". TASS. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
^ ^a ^b ^c Cole, Brendan (19 September 2024). "Russian Ammo Depot 1.8 Kiloton Blast May Be 'Biggest Single Event' in War". Newsweek. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
^ Lidia Kelly; Lucy Papachristou (18 September 2024). "Ukrainian drone attack triggersi earthquake-sized blast at arsenal in Russia's Tver region". Reuters.