Russia Closes M-9 Highway Near Toropets Amid Security Concerns

Russia shut down the M-9 highway in the Tver region near Toropets for safety reasons following a significant Ukrainian drone attack. The closure, which came three days after an explosive event at an arsenal, led to the evacuation of Toropets, and was part of a larger effort to down 101 drones.

Russia temporarily closed the M-9 highway in the western Tver region near Toropets on Saturday to ensure traffic safety, according to Russian news agencies. The federal roads agency indicated that this action follows a significant Ukrainian drone attack that resulted in a massive explosion at an arsenal near the town.

This incident, which occurred three days prior, forced the evacuation of Toropets. Russia's defense ministry reported on Saturday that it had successfully downed 101 Ukrainian drones overnight, including three over the Tver region. The highway closure began at 6:40 a.m. local time (0840 GMT) and no further details were provided regarding the shutdown reasons.

(With inputs from agencies.)