Russia's Tver region reports fire and evacuation due to drone attack
Photo: A fire broke out in Russia's Toropets, Tver region, due to a drone strike (Getty Images).
In Toropets, Tver region, Russia, a fire broke out during the night of September 18. The fire occurred against the backdrop of a drone attack and ongoing air defense operations in the region, according to the governor of the Tver region Igor Rudenya.
Local authorities state that the fire in Toropets started at the site of the drone debris.
According to the Tver governor, cited by the news outlet Pul69 (Russian media), air defense systems in the region are active due to a massive drone attack.
It has also been reported that Rudenya has decided on a partial evacuation of the population from the area where air defense systems are operating and where the fire is being contained.
Meanwhile, footage of the fire emergency in the Tver region has surfaced online. Russian media reports that residents mention both the fire and explosions, suggesting that a munitions depot may have been hit by the drone attack.
As a reminder, the Russian city of Toropets is located west of Tver and east of Belarus. The town is approximately 488 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Location of the city of Toropets, Tver region, on the map and an imaginary line to the border with Ukraine (photo: google.com/maps)
Updated: military facility hit by drone strike
According to Telegram channel 112 (Russian media), a military facility in the town of Toropets in the Tver region was attacked by six drones. Three of them were reportedly shot down by air defense systems, while the remaining drones reached their target.
"Following the attack, a large fire broke out, and ammunition depots began to detonate," the post stated.
Updated: the explosion may involve rockets and mines
New footage has emerged this morning of the fire emergency in the Tver region. Firefighters are currently on site.
Russian media reports that there are military bases 54 169 TT and 11777 - former military base 55443 in Toropets. According to maps, as reported by ASTRA, the burning, and detonating depots are located in the suburbs of Toropets, near the villages of Tsikarevo, Kudine, and Zarechye.
Serhii Bratchuk, a speaker of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army "South" and spokesperson for the Odesa Regional Military Administration, shared on Telegram that the fire and explosions are occurring at the 107th Arsenal.
“Ammunition was stored there, including 122-mm missiles for BM-21 Grad, 82-mm mines, and more,” he wrote.
Earlier, it was reported that authorities in the Tver region complained about drone attacks in the area in November of last year. Russian officials claimed that a UAV entered the territory of Gazprom's Torzhokskoye LPUmG.
Before that, in September 2023, Russia reported a drone attack on the Redkino experimental plant in the Tver region.
