Ukrainian drone strike cripples key Russian ammunition depot

"Last night, units of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in cooperation with other Defence Forces components, accurately struck the 67th arsenal of the Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defence, located in the Bryansk region. According to our information, ammunition for missile and artillery weapons was stored there, including from the DPRK, as well as guided aerial bombs. A significant portion of them was stored in the open air," wrote the Ukrainian General Staff in a statement on Telegram.

North Korea is Russia's largest ally, and relations between the two countries have been strengthening since the start of the war in Ukraine. Pyongyang supplies Russia with large quantities of artillery ammunition, primarily 122 mm and 152 mm calibre shells. This ammunition is very valuable for the Russians because they use it in their artillery systems.

Additionally, starting in early 2024, Pyongyang is supporting Russia with KN-23 ballistic missiles. This weapon has significant destructive power, with each missile being about 8 metres in length and having a warhead weighing approximately 500 kilograms. It can strike targets at a distance of about 600 kilometres.

This is not the first such attack by Ukrainians recently. In September, they managed to destroy warehouses in Toropets, in the Tver region of western Russia. Interestingly, the Russians stored not only their ammunition there but also some resources taken from North Korea. Satellite images released a few days after the attack showed that the warehouses in Toropets were - almost literally - levelled to the ground.

"The destruction of such arsenals creates serious logistical problems for the Russian army, which significantly reduces the offensive potential of the occupiers in threatened areas," assessed the Ukrainian General Staff.