Big Explosion In Russia After Ukraine Drone Attack.
Sep 18, 2024
A large explosion from a Ukrainian drone attack hit Russia’s Tver region, leading to evacuations near a weapons site. Officials are still looking into the damage.
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On Wednesday, September 18, a big explosion happened in Russia’s Tver region after a drone attack by Ukraine. This explosion caused some people living nearby to be evacuated. The attack happened close to a large Russian military weapons site, according to war bloggers and the media.
Fireball in the Night Sky
Videos and pictures shared on social media showed a giant ball of fire lighting up the night sky. Loud booms were heard across a lake in the area. The Tver region is northwest of Moscow, not far from the Belarus border.
NASA satellites spotted the explosion early on Wednesday morning. Sensors that usually track earthquakes also picked up some shaking from the blast. These shakes were likely caused by the massive explosion.
Firefighters Work to Control the Fire
Igor Rudenya, the governor of Tver, said firefighters were trying to put out the fire. He posted this information on Telegram. However, he did not mention exactly what was on fire.
In 2018, reports showed that Russia was building a large weapons storage site in a nearby town called Toropets. This town is over 1,000 years old and has around 11,000 people living in it. Some Russian news reports said this site held a lot of missiles and explosives.
No Reports of Injuries So Far
As of now, there’s no information on anyone getting hurt.
George William Herbert, an expert in California, said the blast seen in the videos was likely caused by 200 to 240 tons of explosives going off.
Reuters, the news agency, could not confirm yet whether this explosion hit the major weapons site. Russia’s defense ministry did not respond to questions about the event.
Schools Moved Online
The explosion impacted nearby areas, including the Zapadnodvinsky district, which is close to Toropets. To keep kids safe, schools and kindergartens in the area switched to online learning.
Russia’s air defense forces said they shot down 54 drones launched by Ukraine during the night. These drones targeted five western Russian regions. But the report didn’t mention the Tver region, where the explosion took place. No other serious damage was reported from those drone attacks.
No Word From Ukraine Yet
Ukraine has not commented on the explosion in Tver so far. In the past, Kyiv has said its attacks on Russian soil are aimed at military sites, power plants, and transport systems that help Russia in the war.
Ukraine has increased its drone attacks in recent years. They have ramped up their own drone production to strike Russian territory more often. In September, Ukraine carried out its biggest drone attack ever on Moscow. That attack killed one person, damaged homes, and delayed flights at Moscow’s airports.
Russia Quiet on Damage
Russian officials usually don’t talk much about the damage caused by Ukrainian attacks. This seems to be the case now as well, with little information coming out about the damage from the blast.
This drone attack is part of the larger ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Both sides have continued to hit key targets as the war drags on. Ukraine is increasingly using drones in their strategy to strike deep into Russia.
The full details of this explosion may become clearer in the coming days. For now, firefighters are focusing on putting out the fire, and authorities are working to keep people safe.
