Russia’s oil processing has only decreased by 3% this year despite significant drone attacks from Ukraine. These attacks have targeted oil refineries, depots, and pipelines, aiming to disrupt Russia’s main source of funding for its war efforts. Most attacks happened early in 2025 and resumed in August, affecting 17 major refineries, which prompted Russia to reduce fuel exports and enhance drone defenses.
From August to October, a second wave of assaults and scheduled maintenance took about 20% of Russia’s refinery capacity offline. Despite this, total refining volumes dropped by only 6% to approximately 5.1 million barrels per day, which is 300,000 barrels less than during the previous year. Overall, from January to October, oil processing fell to around 220 million metric tons, translating to 5.2 million barrels per day.
Sources indicated that Russian refineries were not running at full capacity before the attacks and managed to lessen the impact by restarting spare units and repairing damaged ones. Russia’s total refining capacity is roughly 6.6 million barrels per day, but it is rarely fully used. Ukraine’s drone strikes aim to hinder fuel supplies to Russian forces and reduce Moscow’s oil revenues. The International Energy Agency noted a drop in revenue from oil sales for Russia, marking one of the lowest levels since the war’s onset.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy claimed that the drone strikes might have cut gasoline supplies in Russia by up to 20%. However, the Kremlin asserts that the fuel market remains stable. While Russian refineries are currently managing, the continued drone attacks have caused damage, with 58 strikes launched since August against key energy sites. Western sanctions are complicating Russia’s access to parts needed for repairs, though they have started producing equipment domestically or seeking supplies from China. The repairs are costly and may take time, raising concerns about how long Russia can maintain its operations amidst ongoing drone attacks.
With information from Reuters