Largest oil facility in Moscow region erupts in flames following massive Ukrainian drone attack
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Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ukrainian drones targeted a large oil facility in the Moscow Oblast during a mass attack, monitoring channels reported overnight on Oct. 6.
Ukraine's drone struck the Volodarsk Linear Production and Dispatch Center near the village of Konstantinovo, according to Telegram channel Exilenova Plus.
The Kyiv Independent was not able to immediately verify the reports.
According to Russian state media, the overnight attack was the largest drone attack the region has seen in the past two years.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that at least 650 Ukrainian drones flew towards the capital during the overnight attack, with Russian air defenses downing 105.
650 drones flew towards the Moscow region. The majority of them were destroyed by air defense forces at a distance. 105 drones were destroyed as they approached Moscow.
Eyewittness footage from Konstantinovo, located around 40 kilometers (25 miles) from downtown Moscow, appear to show flames erupting from the Volodarsk facility as smoke billows. The site is around 450 kilometers (280 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Creating 3 million tons of petroleum products each year the Volodarsk facility is the largest oil depot in the Moscow region, reported Astra, an independent Russian outlet. Pipelines connect the Volodarsk site to major airports in the Moscow region.
Ukraine regularly strikes military infrastructure deep within Russia and the occupied territories in an effort to diminish Moscow's ability to continue waging its war.
As Ukrainian forces work to return the war to Russian soil, the Defense Ministry on Oct. 4 reported that over 51% of Russia's oil refining capacity has been disabled by Ukrainian attacks.
Meanwhile, Russia continues attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure.
Russia targeted Kyiv late on Oct. 5, with drone debris falling into a residential area in the city's Pecherskyi district after air defenses shot it down, a reporter on the ground said.
