Ukraine drone attack forces evacuation in Russia's Tver region, governor says

Seven Ukrainian drones were also destroyed over the western Smolensk region, Vasily Anokhin, governor of the region, which borders Belarus

A Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire and forced the partial evacuation of residents in Russia's Tver region, with officials saying on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) that Kyiv targeted several western regions in strikes overnight.

Wreckage from a destroyed Ukrainian drone sparked a fire in the town of Toropets in the western part of the Tver region, Igor Rudenya, the governor of the region located northwest of Moscow said on the Telegram messaging app.

Firefighters were trying to contain the fire, Rudenya said, but he did not say what was burning. Russian air defence units were still trying to repel "a massive drone attack" over the town, he added.

According to a RIA state news agency report from 2018, Russia was building an arsenal for the storage of missiles, ammunition and explosives in Toropets, a 1,000-year-old town, which has a population of just over 11,000.

Seven Ukrainian drones were also destroyed over the western Smolensk region, Vasily Anokhin, governor of the region, which borders Belarus, said on Telegram.

Fourteen more drones were downed over the Bryansk region that borders Ukraine, and several more were destroyed over the regions of Oryol and Tula, the governors of those regions said.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

Kyiv has previously said its strikes on Russia target military, energy and transport infrastructure key to Moscow's war efforts.

Russian officials rarely disclose the full extent of damage inflicted by Ukrainian attacks.

As Ukraine has ramped up its domestic drone production over the past two years, it has increased attacks on Russian territory.

Ukraine's biggest-ever drone attack targeted the Russian capital in September, killing at least one, wrecking homes and disrupting flights at Moscow's airports.

Published - September 18, 2024 09:03 am IST