A series of powerful explosions erupted at an ammunition depot in Russia’s Voronezh Oblast after a Ukrainian drone reportedly struck the facility late Friday night, according to sources in Ukrainian intelligence. The strike, attributed to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), caused a fire and a chain of detonations at the depot, located near the village of Soldatskoye in the Ostrogozhsk district. The depot was allegedly being used to store and transfer munitions and equipment for use in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Footage from the area showed flames visible from several miles away, with local reports confirming loud explosions throughout the night. Ukrainian sources, speaking anonymously, said the attack was part of a broader effort to “demilitarize” Russian regions bordering Ukraine, targeting military infrastructure used to support the war. The SBU operation reportedly utilized long-range drones, which have increasingly been deployed by Ukraine in recent months.
Satellite images obtained by Svoboda confirm the destruction of a field ammunition depot in the Voronezh region. pic.twitter.com/KC8UCoXQ88
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) September 8, 2024
Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev confirmed the incident, stating that “explosive objects” had detonated after a fire broke out at the depot. He emphasized that no casualties were reported, but a state of emergency was declared in the area, and an evacuation of nearby residents was ordered. Temporary accommodation centers have been set up for evacuees, and local authorities are monitoring the ongoing situation.
Russian officials have not confirmed the drone’s origin, but Gusev mentioned that air defense systems had detected and neutralized a drone earlier in the day. Despite this, the drone is believed to have caused a fire that spread to explosive devices, leading to the massive detonations. The governor stated that at least four significant fires continued to burn at the depot, and detonations were still occurring as of Saturday morning.
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