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] The main explosion caused a seismic wave of magnitude 2.5~2.8 on 18 September, 3:56 am, local time.[5][6]
Following more than two years of war, Ukraine recently moved the conflict into Russian territories. On 6 August 2024, Ukraine launched an incursion into Kursk Oblast. Ukraine also argues with Western allies providing weapons for longer range munitions and the right to use them deeper into Russia with the purpose of attacking legitimate military targets used by Russia to attack Ukraine and putting political pressure on Putin. [7] This attack, likely lead with domestically-manufactured drones, would aim at normalizing such in depth attacks.[8]
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 such as missiles and 'even a small nuclear attack' ".[9] 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."[10] NBC reported that KAB missiles were also stored at the facility.[9]
Ukrainska Pravda cited Ukraine's Security Service, Defence Intelligence and Special Operations Force as the author of the nighttime attack.[8] According to Russian Defense Ministry, all of the 54 Ukrainian drones aimed at western Russian regions were successfully intercepted.[8] According to Igor Rudenya, governor of Tver Oblast, debris of a successfully downed Ukrainian drone caused the fire, igniting the ammunition depot and the series of explosions.[8][4][12][13][14]
On 22 September 2024 media reported that Ukrainian drones had struck a second ammunition depot located South of Toropets again causing a large fire.[15]
The attack resulted in multiple secondary explosions, the largest being an earthquake-magnitude blast.[16] 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.[1][16][9] Resulting fires were detected from NASA's fire monitoring systems as covering an area of approximately 13 km2 (5 sq mi).[16]
Igor Rudenya, governor of Tver Oblast, announced a partial evacuation of the town but that there were no serious injuries nor fatalities.[4][12][13][14] Russian officials later reported that 13 people had been injured.[2]