A Ukrainian drone strike burnt down a Russian ammunition storage facility in the Voronezh region, close to the border between the two nations, Russian and Ukrainian authorities said on Sunday.
“Several drones were detected and destroyed overnight by air defence systems above the Voronezh region,” regional governor Alexander Gusev wrote on Telegram, according to news agency AFP.
“Their falling debris set off a fire in a depot” in the Podgorensky district, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Emergency services were present at the location, and Gusev stated that residents living in the vicinity of the depot were being evacuated.
“Explosives began to detonate”, the regional governor said, adding that there were no indications anybody had been hurt
.
An unnamed Ukrainian defence official informed AFP that the country’s drones targeted the munitions plant during a night operation.
The source revealed that “the enemy stored surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, shells for tanks and artillery and boxes of ammunition” at the facility, which was struck by drones, causing a “powerful” blast.
Since the beginning of Russia’s military campaign in February 2022, both Russia and Ukraine have extensively employed drones, including large explosive devices capable of traveling hundreds of kilometres (miles).
This year, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian soil, focusing on energy facilities it claims are supplying the Russian military, as well as towns and villages situated near the border.