The strike, which took place on August 23, 2023, was carried out by Ukrainian forces using a long-range missile system. The missile system, known as the HIMARS, is a highly advanced weapon system that has been instrumental in Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion. The strike on Toropets is significant because it demonstrates the long-range capabilities of the HIMARS system and its potential to target strategic locations deep within Russia.
He did not specify the exact number of missiles. The official further stated that Russia has been using a variety of tactics to try and break down Ukraine’s defenses. This information comes from an official source within Ukraine’s intelligence community.
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.
On Tuesday, Mr Putin ordered the country’s military to increase its number of troops by 180,000 to a total of 1.5 million by December 1. Mr Zelensky last month said his plan for victory includes not only battlefield goals but also diplomatic and economic wins. The plan has been kept under wraps but the US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said during a news conference on Tuesday that Washington officials have seen it. “We think it lays out a strategy and a plan that can work,” she said, adding that the United States will bring it up with other world leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York next week.
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