Satellite photos have revealed the full extent of damage, including a large crater, to Russian ammunition depots following a Ukrainian drone strike on September 18 in Toropets, Russia.
George Barros, a Russian team member at the Institute for the Study of War, posted the satellite photos provided by Maxar Technologies on X, which show before and after images of all three sites with the ammunition storage buildings at the Oktyabrsky depot.
In the attack, Ukraine reportedly used more than 100 drones to strike the military depot and destroyed North Korean missiles and air defenses, as well as Russian weapons stored in the depot.
Maxar collected a trove of new high-resolution satellite imagery showing the damage to Russian ammunition depots in western southern Russia. 📷@Maxar
Thread with much imagery.
Starting off with the before / after shots of the ammo storage buildings at the Oktyabrski depot. pic.twitter.com/V8QZmjFZB2
— George Barros (@georgewbarros) September 23, 2024
The 82 meter-wide crater at the Oktyabrsky depot resulting from the strike is located where there reportedly once was a storage unit and a military bunker, according to Barros.
The Institute for the Study of War expert also claimed that the pictures showed what he believes were likely missile cannisters at the Oktyabrsky depot.
The site where the crater is located is also thought to be the location of train rail cars that Barros predicts were used to transport ammunition to other depots.
In targeting one of Moscow’s key military sites, an Estonian Defense Forces official claimed Ukraine likely destroyed two to three months of Russia’s ammunition supply.
Russian servicemen carrying ammunition boxes at an unknown location. Through drone strikes, Ukraine recently destroyed some of Russia’s key military depots.
RIA Novosti/Associated Press
The Ukrainian strike not only damaged the facility and destroyed Russian ammunition, but also started a fire that spread throughout the region, causing residents to evacuate and at least 13 people were injured.
Ukraine struck another ammunition depot four days after the drone strike in Toropets, in the Tver region, in Tikhoretsk, which reportedly had 2,000 tons of ammunition stored there.
The Tikhoretsk depot reportedly had North Korean munitions stored there, and Ukraine also destroyed a radar station designed to protect it.
The drone strike in Tikhoretsk also caused large fires, forcing 1,200 residents to be evacuated.
Despite having multiple key military depots destroyed, Russia followed the attacks last week by advancing in the region of Donetsk near four key towns, Leonidivka, Niu York, Krutyi Yar and Mykhailivka.
Ukraine remains under pressure in the Donetsk region, particularly near the city of Pokrovsk, as it is a transport hub close to the front lines.
In addition to destroying several Russian military depots, Ukraine also advanced in the Russian territory of Kursk in early August, and since then Russian troops have reportedly not been successful in counterattacking and regaining the territory.
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