A series of Ukrainian drone attacks has compelled nearly all major oil refineries in central Russia to shut down or reduce operations. The affected facilities represent over 83 million metric tons of annual capacity—about 25% of Russia’s total refining capacity—and account for more than 30% of gasoline and around 25% of diesel output.
Russia had already imposed a gasoline export ban from April to July, and the new disruptions further strain its fuel supply and federal budget, which relies heavily on oil and gas revenue.
Ukraine has doubled the number of targeted refineries since the start of the year, also striking pipelines and storage sites. Major refineries hit include Kirishi, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod (NORSI), Ryazan, and Yaroslavl. Kirishi, one of Russia’s largest plants, has been fully shut since May 5, while NORSI’s operational status remains uncertain after a May 20 attack.
These strikes have reduced Russia’s oil output—one of the world’s largest—adding financial pressure on Moscow.
With information from Reuters
