Russian officials ordered the evacuation of a village in northwestern Russia Wednesday following a wave of Ukrainian drone strikes that targeted a nearby missile depot, marking one of the deepest attacks into Russian territory since the war began.
Multiple drones struck near the village of Kotovo in the Novgorod region, approximately 680 kilometers (420 miles) north of the Ukrainian border, prompting local authorities to relocate residents to safety. The village houses the 13th arsenal of the Russian military’s main missile and artillery directorate, a strategic installation that Ukrainian officials claim stores S-300 and S-400 missile systems.
“Residents of the village have been relocated to temporary accommodation centers in the town of Okulovka. They are receiving hot meals and beds,” Novgorod region Governor Andrei Nikitin announced via Telegram. He added that elderly and disabled residents were moved to hospitals as a precautionary measure.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported intercepting 44 drones during the overnight assault, with 20 targeted specifically at the Novgorod region. Andriy Kovalenko, who heads Ukraine’s national security and defense council’s disinformation countermeasures center, confirmed the attack on the Kotovo arsenal.
The strikes appear to have validated concerns of local residents, some of whom began departing the area in September following similar Ukrainian attacks on comparable military installations across Russia.
themoscowtimes.com
