ISW experts explain significance of Ukraine's strikes on military depots in Russia
Illustrative photo (getty images)
Ukrainian strikes on targets within Russian territory could impact offensive operations across the entire theater of war in Ukraine if Ukrainian forces possess the resources and capabilities to sustain this campaign, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
It was explained that Russian forces rely on Shahed drones to conduct strikes on both frontline and rear Ukrainian settlements and cities, expending about 10,000 artillery shells daily against Ukrainian frontline positions.
In particular, Ukrainian forces targeted the ammunition depots in Oktyabrsky and Toropets in the Tver region, as well as the ammunition storage facility in Tikhoretsk in Krasnodar Krai in September. They also struck a Russian missile and ammunition storage site in Karachev, in the Bryansk region, on October 8, destroying dozens of ammunition storage buildings, railway cars, and likely a significant quantity of munitions, missiles, and drones.
"While the impact of a single strike is unlikely to significantly impact Russia's war effort, repeated strikes against ammunition depots within Russia may force a decision point on the Russian military command to reorganize and disperse support and logistics systems within Russia‘s rear areas to mitigate the impact of such strikes at the expense of mass-optimized Russian logistics to support the war in Ukraine," the ISW reported.
Experts believe that the timely lifting of restrictions on the use of Western systems and the development of Ukraine's long-range strike capabilities may allow Ukrainian forces to exploit such vulnerabilities more effectively before Russia implements countermeasures.
In their view, Ukrainian strikes on targets within Russian territory could affect offensive operations across the entire theater of war in Ukraine if Ukrainian forces possess the resources, capabilities, and permission to conduct such a strike campaign.
Strikes on Russian military sites
It is noteworthy that on October 9, the Ukrainian Naval Forces, in conjunction with the Security Service of Ukraine, attacked a storage base for Shahed-type drones located near the settlement of Oktyabrsky in Krasnodar Krai, Russia.
On the night of September 18, the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck a large ammunition and missile depot in Toropets, in the Tver region, Russia. The consequences of the Ukrainian defenders' attack are even visible from space.
Near Tikhoretsk in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, the 719th artillery ammunition base was attacked, where the Russians had been stockpiling North Korean shells.
