Ukraine Attack Forces Evacuation in Russia’s Tver Region

A Ukrainian drone attack ignited a fire in Russia’s Tver region, prompting a partial evacuation, according to local officials on Wednesday. Reuters reported that wreckage from a downed Ukrainian drone sparked the fire in the town of Toropets, northwest of Moscow, as firefighting crews worked to control the blaze. Russian air defense was attempting to repel ongoing drone strikes in the area, according to regional governor Igor Rudenya.

Additional drone attacks were reported in other western regions. Seven drones were destroyed in Smolensk, while 14 more were downed in Bryansk, and others in the Oryol and Tula regions, according to local officials. Ukraine has increased drone strikes on Russian territory, targeting military, energy, and transport infrastructure essential to Moscow’s war efforts. The scale of the damage from these attacks is rarely fully disclosed by Russian authorities.

The drone strikes come as part of Ukraine’s larger efforts to increase drone production and target strategic locations within Russia in an attempt to prevent or limit further attacks on Ukrainian soil.