Ukraine claimed the strike destroyed Russian military warehouses in Toropets, a town in Russia’s Tver region about 240 miles north-west of Moscow and about 300 miles from the border with Ukraine. The attack was carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service, along with Ukraine’s Intelligence and Special Operations Forces, a Kyiv security official told the Associated Press. According to the official, the depot housed Iskander and Tochka-U missiles, as well as glide bombs and artillery shells. He said the facility caught fire in the strike and was burning across an area four miles wide. Volodymyr Zelensky is seeking the approval from western nations for Ukraine to use the sophisticated weapons they are providing to hit targets inside Russia (Leon Neal/Pool via AP)
It raises questions about the effectiveness of Russian military tactics and the potential for future escalation.
The health ministry said 13 people were taken to hospital in the region after the attack, while Tver regional governor Igor Rudenya later said all evacuees could return home. Successful Ukrainian strikes on targets deep inside Russia have become more common as the war has progressed and Kyiv developed its drone technology. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also seeking the approval from western nations for Ukraine to use the sophisticated weapons they are providing to hit targets inside Russia. Some western leaders have baulked at that possibility, fearing they could be dragged into the conflict. Ukraine’s targeting of Russian military equipment, ammunition and infrastructure deep inside Russia, as well as making Russian civilians feel some of the consequences of the war that is being fought largely inside Ukraine, is part of Kyiv’s strategy.
Tver regional governor Igor Rudenya arrives to attend a meeting in Toropets (Press Service of the Government of the Tver Region of Russia via AP) The swift push by Ukrainian forces into Russia’s Kursk border region last month fits into that plan, which apparently seeks to compel Russian President Vladimir Putin to back down. Mr Putin, however, has shown no signs of backing down, and has been trying to grind down Ukraine’s resolve through attritional warfare and also sap the West’s support for Kyiv by drawing out the conflict. That has come at a price, however, as the UK Ministry of Defence estimates that the war has probably killed and wounded more than 600,000 Russian troops.
This move comes as Russia faces mounting pressure from the West, particularly from the United States, over its invasion of Ukraine. The order, which was issued by the Russian president himself, is a significant escalation in the country’s military buildup. It signifies a clear commitment to the ongoing conflict and a willingness to engage in a protracted war.
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