Unknown drones cause major damage to warehouses in Tver and Yaroslavl regions, Russia
Photo: Russian social media
On the night of Wednesday, September 18, 2024, a massive UAV attack occurred in the Tver region of Russia. It resulted in fires and explosions at military warehouses. The city of Toropets became the epicenter of events, as the drone attack triggered ammunition detonation at the 107th arsenal of the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defense. The incident resulted in a partial evacuation of the community and sparked a wave of anxiety among the residents.
ASTRA, monitoring channels, and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that on Telegram.
"54 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed by regular means of air defense," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
It was reported that:
- 27 drones were allegedly shot down over the Kursk region,
- 16 – above Bryansk,
- 7 – over Smolensk,
- 3 – over Belgorod,
- 1 – over the Oryol region.
It's important to mention that the Russian Federation's Ministry of Defense did not address the recent nighttime explosions in the Tver region in their report.
Chronology of events
According to the Russian publication ASTRA and other monitoring channels, a large-scale fire started in the city of Toropets as a result of a drone attack, which engulfed a warehouse with ammunition. Several explosions occurred as a result of the fire.
It is reported that the 107th arsenal of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (military unit 11777), in which ammunition was stored, including:
- 122-mm rockets for BM-21 "Grad" MLRS,
- 82-mm mines,
- cartridges, etc.
Photo: Russian media
The total amount of stored ammunition in the warehouse could reach up to 30 thousand tons.
The attack threw the city into chaos, and the surrounding areas quickly became inundated with urgent news of the need to evacuate.
According to the governor of the Tver region, Igor Rudenya, a partial evacuation of Toropets residents to the neighboring town of Zapadnaya Dvina was announced. At the same time, the local authorities tried to calm the population, claiming to control the situation and extinguish the fire.
Although the local officials claimed to have the situation under control, many residents' accounts suggest that the evacuation was disorganized and faced many challenges. One major issue occurred in the village of Tsykarevo, which is located in the affected area and separated from evacuation routes due to intense explosions and fires.
Residents reported that the village could be reached only through Kudinskoye Lake. A group of people remained on the lake's shore waiting for help, but due to the lack of boats, the evacuation was significantly delayed.
"Please evacuate the people from the village of Tsykarevo. They are standing on the shore of Kudinskoye Lake. The only way to get to them is by water. For God's sake, help them! There is nothing left of the village," one of the locals wrote in the chat.
Scales of destruction
Satellite images and testimonies of residents confirm that in Toropka and its surroundings, the number of fire outbreaks has increased significantly after the drone attack. Due to the detonation of ammunition, the fire spread over a large area, complicating the work of rescue services.
Photo: Russian social networks
The explosions were incredibly powerful, causing residents within several kilometers of the scene to hear loud rumblings. The resulting blast wave also damaged nearby homes and farms.
The Russian government and military officials were hesitant to accept the reality of drone attacks on military warehouses. Public statements only mentioned a fire caused by the "falling debris of a drone" without acknowledging the deliberate attack on the military facilities.
Photo: ASTRA
"Governor Igor Rudenya reported that a fire broke out in Toropka after the wreckage of a drone fell, and rescuers are putting it out. Later, the regional administration specified that the repulsion of the drone attack in the sky above the city is ongoing," one of the Russian publications wrote.
On the morning of September 18, the fire at the ammunition warehouse was still ongoing, and the explosions at the warehouse showed no signs of stopping.
Fire in Yaroslavl, Russian Federation
On the evening of Tuesday, September 17, a powerful fire broke out in a warehouse with fuel and lubricants in Yaroslavl, Russia. A column of fire and smoke could be seen for many kilometers.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation says that the cause of the fire is currently unknown, and there is no information about the victims either.
"A one-story building measuring 30 by 15 meters is on fire at 16 A Mekhanizatorov Street; the burning occurs over the entire square. Previously, the building was a warehouse; tires, fuel, and lubricants were on fire," a department representative said.
Photo: Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation
Photo: Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation
Some media also reported that gas equipment was stored on the premises, and residents claimed to have heard explosions.
A group of rescuers responded to the incident, with at least six of them sustaining injuries while putting out the fire at the warehouse.
