Russia's Defense Ministry reported downing 51 Ukrainian drones overnight on Oct. 27, with 18 of them intercepted over western Tambov Oblast.
Drones struck the Michurinsky district of the region at around 0:40 a.m. local time, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished, Governor Maxim Egorov claimed on his Telegram channel.
The Astra Telegram channel alleged that the fire broke out at the Transneft Druzhba control station in the village of Novonikolskoye.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
Transneft Druzhba is a subsidiary of Russia's leading state-controlled oil company, Transneft. It operates the Druzhba pipeline, built to funnel Russian oil to European countries via Belarus and Ukraine.
The Michurinsky Oil Refinery is also located in the village of Novonikolskoye.
Ukraine has carried out long-range drone strikes into Russian territory, often targeting oil refineries and depots to disrupt fuel supplies to the Russian military and diminish Moscow's fossil fuel export revenues, crucial for funding the war.
Russia claimed its forces had also downed 16 drones over Belgorod Oblast, four each over Bryansk, Lipetsk, and Oryol oblasts, three over Voronezh Oblast, and one over Kursk Oblast. Other Ukrainian drones were allegedly shot down over the Azov Sea.
Asami Terajima
