Ukraine’s Devastating Strike on Russian Ammunition Depots: A Turning Point in the War
In late 2024 and early 2025, Ukraine launched a series of bold, high-precision drone strikes deep inside Russian territory, destroying approximately 60,000 tonnes of Russian ammunition and weapons. This operation has been described by analysts and military observers as one of the most devastating single blows dealt to Russia’s military logistics since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
This massive loss not only shocked the Russian leadership, including President Vladimir Putin, but also significantly weakened Russia's warfighting capabilities by disrupting the supply chains that sustain its troops along multiple front lines. Below is a detailed look at how this happened, what was destroyed, and why it matters.
Context of the Attack
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has led to the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II. As the war dragged on into its third year, both sides began focusing heavily on logistics, supply lines, and long-range strike capabilities.
Ukraine, while facing a much larger and better-equipped adversary, has used asymmetric warfare, Western-supplied weapons, and its growing domestic drone industry to level the playing field. A key part of Ukraine’s evolving strategy has been to strike at the heart of Russia’s logistical infrastructure—specifically ammunition depots and fuel storage facilities that supply Russian forces.
By mid to late 2024, Ukraine had dramatically improved the range and precision of its drone strikes, allowing it to hit targets hundreds of kilometers behind enemy lines—sometimes even on Russian soil.
Major Ammunition Depots Destroyed
1. Toropets Depot Explosion – September 2024
One of the most significant attacks took place on the night of September 17–18, 2024, when Ukrainian drones struck the 107th Arsenal in Toropets, a town in Russia’s Tver Oblast, several hundred kilometers from the border.
The depot contained tens of thousands of tonnes of ammunition, including high-value assets like Iskander missiles, Tochka-U ballistic missiles, FAB glide bombs, and various artillery shells.
According to reports and satellite imagery, the explosion triggered a seismic event equivalent to a 2.5–2.8 magnitude earthquake and left an 82-meter-wide crater.
Ukrainian intelligence estimated that approximately 30,000 tonnes of ammunition were destroyed in this single strike.
This attack was a logistical and psychological blow to Russia. The depot was a central hub supplying operations in both Ukraine and the broader Western Military District of Russia.
2. Tikhoretsk Depot – September 20–21, 2024
Just days after the Toropets strike, Ukraine hit another major military depot in Tikhoretsk, located in the Krasnodar Krai region of Russia.
The depot stored a wide variety of conventional artillery shells, tank ammunition, and imported munitions—including those allegedly supplied by North Korea.
The facility was one of Russia's three largest ammunition depots, and its destruction dealt a blow to supply lines supporting operations in Southern Ukraine, including Crimea.
Around 2,000 tonnes of ammunition were reportedly destroyed.
Tikhoretsk served as a key logistics and transshipment center, meaning its loss disrupted not only munitions storage but also transportation and distribution.
3. Fuel Train in Zaporizhzhia – May 2025
In another notable operation, Ukraine used military intelligence and drone strikes to attack a Russian war train carrying fuel and explosives near Melitopol, in occupied Zaporizhzhia.
Several tanker cars were destroyed in a fireball that lit up the sky and caused secondary explosions.
The strike temporarily cut off a vital supply route to Crimea and affected fuel supplies to Russian units in southern Ukraine.
While not included in the 60,000-tonne estimate, this strike underscored Ukraine’s ability to target moving assets deep in Russian-held territory.
Total Damage Estimate and Strategic Value
Ukraine’s military and independent analysts estimate that across several operations—including the ones listed above—up to 60,000 tonnes of ammunition and weapons were destroyed between September 2024 and May 2025.
To understand the scale:
Russia is estimated to use 10,000–15,000 artillery shells per week on the front lines.
The loss of 60,000 tonnes is roughly equivalent to 2–3 months’ worth of artillery ammunition, depending on the mix of weapons destroyed.
This is not just a temporary setback. Ammunition production is expensive, and Russia has already been facing sanctions, industrial bottlenecks, and limited access to high-quality explosives and components. While North Korea and Iran have supported Russia with some arms shipments, these are not enough to replace such a massive loss quickly.
How Ukraine Pulled It Off
Ukraine’s growing drone warfare capabilities were central to these attacks. Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR), in collaboration with private drone developers and Western partners, has developed a wide array of long-range drones capable of evading Russian air defenses.
Key factors behind the success of these operations:
Intelligence and Targeting: Ukraine had detailed intelligence about the locations and contents of Russian storage facilities.
Long-Range Drones: Many of the strikes were carried out by domestically produced drones with ranges of 500–1,000+ km, capable of flying at low altitudes and avoiding radar detection.
Western Support: While the drones themselves were often Ukrainian-made, NATO countries—particularly the U.S. and U.K.—likely provided satellite imagery, geolocation data, and real-time tracking support.
Timing and Coordination: The strikes were spaced within days of each other, suggesting high-level coordination and a focused campaign aimed at overwhelming Russian logistics.
Putin’s Response and Russian Vulnerability
These attacks reportedly left the Kremlin stunned. Russian military bloggers, analysts, and even former officials criticized the country’s poor security measures and the vulnerability of critical infrastructure.
Some key outcomes:
Blow to Morale: The destruction of such massive stockpiles embarrassed the Russian military and contradicted their narrative of total battlefield control.
Forced Redeployment: Russia was likely forced to relocate and disperse its remaining ammunition stockpiles to avoid further losses, making logistics more complicated.
Increased Defense Spending: The Kremlin was pushed to ramp up emergency procurement and bolster air defenses around storage facilities, drawing resources away from frontline units.
There were also reports that President Vladimir Putin was privately furious over the failure of Russia’s air defense systems to prevent these attacks. High-ranking defense officials were allegedly dismissed or reassigned following internal reviews.
Global Reaction and Strategic Implications
Ukraine’s operations were praised by Western allies as a demonstration of how Ukrainian ingenuity and international support can level the playing field against a much larger aggressor.
Key reactions and implications include:
Signal to NATO: Ukraine proved it can strike deep into Russian territory without direct NATO intervention, bolstering arguments for continued support.
U.S. and EU Policy Support: Following these successful attacks, Western countries increased shipments of long-range weapons and drone parts, believing Ukraine had the capacity to use them effectively.
Pressure on Russian Allies: Countries like North Korea and Iran, which have supplied Russia with weapons, came under renewed international pressure.
Conclusion: A Turning Point in the War
The destruction of 60,000 tonnes of Russian weapons and ammunition by Ukraine marked a major inflection point in the war. It showcased Ukraine's evolution into a technologically capable, intelligence-driven military power, capable of launching deep strikes that undermine Russia’s ability to wage war.
While these attacks alone will not end the war, they severely weakened Russia’s supply chains, boosted Ukrainian morale, and forced Moscow into a more reactive and defensive posture. In a war defined by attrition and logistics, Ukraine’s ability to disrupt the enemy’s war machine from hundreds of kilometers away may become one of its most decisive advantages.
As Ukraine continues to adapt, innovate, and strike with precision, Russia faces growing challenges in sustaining its invasion—both materially and psychologically. And for President Putin, these strikes serve as a chilling reminder that even the heartland of Russia is no longer immune from the consequences of war.
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