Russia launches large-scale airstrike on Ukrainian military facilities... Retaliation after ammunition depot hit

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Russia, which had its mainland weapons depot attacked by the Ukrainian military, launched a large-scale retaliatory airstrike on Ukrainian ammunition depots and other targets. As the frontline deadlock between the two sides intensifies, there are concerns that bombings of rear weapons depots and support facilities will increase further.

According to Russia's TASS news agency, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on the 24th (local time) that it attacked 149 locations where Ukrainian military personnel and equipment were concentrated, including military airfield facilities, drone production facilities, and fuel warehouses. The Russian military claimed success in airstriking a defense industry complex producing gas turbine engines for Ukrainian military aircraft, as well as destroying four ammunition depots and an electronic warfare system.

This is interpreted as a retaliatory operation in response to the Ukrainian military's airstrike on Russian mainland military supply depots. On the 18th and 20th, the Ukrainian military reportedly attacked Russian mainland military supply depots storing various missiles and ammunition with drones, causing significant damage. The Ukrainian military claimed to have obtained information that a train carrying ammunition provided by North Korea was at a depot in Tikhoretsk, Krasnodar Krai, southern Russia.

There are concerns that civilian casualties in Ukraine's rear areas will increase due to Russia's retaliatory airstrikes. According to Ukrainian authorities, on the night of the 23rd, Russian forces attacked infrastructure facilities and residential areas in Zaporizhzhia and Poltava. The attack resulted in one death and six injuries in Zaporizhzhia, and power supply was cut off to 20 villages in Poltava. Notably, the Russian military is known to have been concentrating attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of the winter season.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.