Another weapons depot in northwestern Russia is up in flames after a Ukrainian drone strike

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A fire ripped through a Russian weapons depot inside the country, sparking explosions and a highway shutdown, after Ukraine launched more than 100 drones into Russia and annexed Crimea, Russian media and the Defense Ministry reported. said.

The depot appears to be a few kilometers from the one that was hit by Ukrainian jets early Wednesday, injuring 13 people and causing a huge fire.

Russian authorities on Saturday closed a 100-kilometer (62-mile) stretch of road and evacuated passengers from a nearby station after a fire sparked a series of explosions. A post on local Telegram channels on the messaging app said the missile depot was hit near the town of Toropets, in Russia’s Tver region about 380 kilometers (240 miles) northwest of Moscow and about 500 kilometers (300 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Unconfirmed images circulating on Telegram showed a large ball of flame rising into the night sky and numerous smoke trails from the explosion.

An ammunition and missile depot in southwestern Russia also caught fire in a separate attack on Saturday in the Krasnodar region, prompting evacuations after the fire sparked a series of explosions. Videos on social media showed bright orange clouds rising over the horizon, as the ominous thuds of gunfire continued.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday that its forces had shot down 101 Ukrainian planes in one night over Russian territory and seized Crimea. There were no immediate reports of casualties in any Russian region.

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