According to the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian forces successfully carried out a drone strike on a Russian missile and ammunition storage facility near Toropets, Tver Oblast on 18 September. This attack demonstrated the strategic importance of long-range strikes on Russian territory.
This year, Ukraine has stepped up its drone attacks on military and fuel facilities within Russia, causing significant disruptions to the Russian military‘s supply of fuel and ammunition. A Ukrainian security source told Ukrainian outlet Suspilne that the strike was carried out by drone operators from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR), and Special Operations Forces (SSO).
The target of the strike was the Russian Ministry of Defense’s Main Missile and Artillery Directorate’s 107th Arsenal in Toropets, which reportedly stored Iskander missiles, Tochka-U ballistic missiles, anti-aircraft missiles, and artillery ammunition. The initial strike was followed by significant secondary explosions, as seen in footage published on 16 September.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Combatting Disinformation, suggested that the facility may have also housed ammunition for BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), S-300 and S-400 air defense missiles, and North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles.
The ISW believes that these continued strikes on Russian logistics facilities within their own territory will put pressure on the Russian military beyond just destroying ammunition stockpiles. According to sources from Suspilne, these strikes are also undermining Russia’s ability to carry out long-range missile strikes against Ukraine.
The ISW also noted that with the lifting of restrictions on the use of Western systems and the development of Ukraine’s own long-range strike capabilities, Ukrainian forces may be able to exploit Russian vulnerabilities more effectively. This could potentially impact offensive operations throughout the theater in Ukraine if Ukrainian forces have the necessary equipment, capabilities, and permission to carry out such a strike campaign at a larger scale.
This recent strike follows a similar attack on a Russian ammunition depot near Sergeevka, Voronezh Oblast in July 2024. If Ukraine continues to target Russian ammunition and missile storage facilities within their own territory, it could potentially destroy a significant portion of Russia’s reserves and force them to reorganize their logistics systems.
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