Have struck large ammunition cache in southwest Russia, says Ukraine

By Olesia Safronova

Ukraine’s Security Service, known as SBU, struck a “a large warehouse of ammunition” in the Voronezh region of southwest Russia overnight, said a person familiar with the matter.  
 

SBU drones targeted a stockpile of surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles; artillery, shells for tanks and firearms were also among the weaponry stored in site, said the person, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly.  

Voronezh Governor Alexandr Gusev said on Telegram that the detonation of explosive objects began after a Ukrainian drone attack ignited a fire in one of the warehouses. About 50 residents from three nearby communities were evacuated due to explosions, he said.

Images on social media that can’t be verified by Bloomberg News showed a huge cloud of smoke rising from the area, which is about 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the border. 

Russian Telegram channels report explosions in Voronezh region of Russia. According to them, drones hit an ammunition warehouse. pic.twitter.com/3SdGDFeHFg

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 7, 2024

Separately, the Ukrainian Air force said it downed all 13 Russian Shahed-type drones launched from Russian territory into the Kirovohrad, Kharkiv, Sumy and Poltava regions overnight. 

Two “Iskander” ballistic missiles weren’t intercepted, Ukraine’s air defense commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on Telegram. He didn’t elaborate what was struck or on any damage sustained.  

The drone activity comes at a time when Russian ground forces continue to press in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine and have also picked up their rate of incursions in the Kharkiv region not far from the nations’ border. 

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who’s expected to attend the NATO summit in Washington this week, said Saturday that Ukraine is working on a new maritime strategy for the Black Sea region. 

“We are solidifying our interests, taking into account Ukraine’s new technological capabilities and our new relationships with partners,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address that was posted on X.