Ukrainian drone hits Russian arms depot

KYIV, Oct 09 (AP/AFP): A Ukrainian drone struck an important arms depot inside Russia, the Ukraine military said Wednesday, three weeks after another drone blasted a major Russian armory and three days after a drone smashed into a key oil terminal in Russia-occupied Crimea.
The Tuesday night strike targeted an arsenal in Russia's Bryansk border region where missiles and artillery munitions were stored, including some that had been delivered by North Korea, a Ukrainian General Staff statement said.
Hugely powerful glide bombs that have terrorized civilian areas of Ukraine and bludgeoned Ukrainian army defenses were also kept at the arsenal, located 115 kilometers (70 miles) from the Ukrainian border, and some of the ammunition was stored in the open, it said.
"Striking such arsenals creates serious logistical problems for the Russian army, thus significantly reducing (its) offensive capabilities," the statement said.
Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry said Wednesday it had retaken two villages in its Kursk region that were captured by Ukraine in a surprise offensive.
Russia has rarely claimed any recaptured territory since Ukraine launched its offensive into the border region on August 6.
The ministry said in a statement that Russian troops "continued offensive operations, during which they liberated the settlements of Novaya Sorochina and Pokrovsky".
Novaya Sorochina is located close to the border with Ukraine, while Pokrovsky is deeper into Russian territory.
Russia said its troops "are continuing actions to defeat the enemy group that has penetrated into the territory of Kursk region."
It said it had repelled Ukrainian attacks on two villages near Pokrovsky.