The head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Vasyl Maliuk, has revealed that last fall’s Ukrainian strike on a Russian ammunition depot in Toropets destroyed approximately 160,000 tons of ammunition supplies belonging to the Russian occupation forces, according to Defense Express.
In 2024, Ukraine intensified drone strikes on Russian military and fuel facilities, severely disrupting fuel and ammunition supplies. A further escalation last fall saw increased attacks on ammunition depots and air bases. The beginning of this year brought an even greater surge in long-range drone operations.
The attack targeted the Russian Defense Ministry’s 107th Main Missile and Artillery Directorate (GRAU) arsenal on 18 September 2024, one of the main arsenals of the Russian defense department.
“This includes half of all their 120-mm mortar shell reserves, which are, excuse me, like ‘hot cakes’ for their military personnel,” Maliuk noted.
Maliuk also stated that four earthquakes were recorded during the strike. Satellite images released after the attack showed impact craters that were visible from space.
“There are very, very many such operations. It’s not just the SBU working here, but also brother-in-arms from the HUR (Defense Intelligence, – Ed.), Special Operations Forces, Unmanned Systems Forces, and others,” Maliuk emphasized.
According to him, long-range attacks on Russian territory have successfully hit 48 targets. It is unclear whether Maliuk referred solely to SBU strikes inside Russia or the specific timeframe. A Ukrainian media analysis counted 66 successful strikes from October to January, significantly more than Maliuk’s figure.
“These include ammunition depots, airfields with military aircraft, as well as oil production and refining facilities,” Maliuk said
Military bases now key focus as Ukraine’s deep-strike drone strike strategy shifts
Defense Express notes that these figures refer specifically to successful strikes, and the actual number of attacks was higher, considering that many targets were hit multiple times by Ukrainian long-range drones.
“During three years of [the all-our] war, we’ve gained invaluable combat experience. When we talk about unmanned systems, we operate in the air, at sea, on the frontline, and beyond it in the Russian rear. At one point, the President of Ukraine set a specific task, and we developed the appropriate methodology and tactics for using unmanned systems,” Maliuk noted.
According to the SBU chief, drone unit operations today are distributed across different ranges: 0-20 km, 20-40 km, 40-80 km, 80-120 km, and 120+ km – the latter essentially referring to deep strikes, meaning long-range attacks deep into enemy territory.
“For each distance, professional operators have emerged, and appropriate means are available,” Maliuk said
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- Military bases now key focus as Ukraine’s deep-strike drone strike strategy shifts
- British Intelligence: Ukraine’s strikes inflict heavy losses on Russian munitions supplies
- Frontline report: Six months’ worth of ammo wiped out in recent Ukraine strikes
- UK intel: Ukraine’s attack on munitions depot highly likely to disrupt Russian ground operations in Kursk Oblast
- Estonia spymaster: Russia loses 2-3 month worth of shells in Toropets strike
- ISW: Ukrainian drone attack on Russian ammo depot in Tver proves value of long-range strikes
- Ukraine’s Tver ammo depot attack featuring jet drones lowers Russian threat to Baltics
- Ammunition depot in Russia’s Tver Oblast is burning after drone strike
