Drone attacks disrupt nine Russian refineries in a week
Ukrainian drone strikes have disrupted nine of Russia’s 35 major refineries over the past week, cutting the country’s oil-processing capacity by about 30%, industry sources told Reuters.
Refinery attacks disrupt oil processing
The refineries affected by Ukrainian drone attacks since late October have a combined nominal processing capacity of approximately 300,000 metric tons of crude oil per day, equivalent to 2.2 million barrels. Russia's total primary refining capacity stands at around 930,000 metric tons daily, according to two industry sources cited by Reuters.
However, the actual reduction in crude oil processing could reach up to 200,000 metric tons per day, as the affected facilities were not all operating at full capacity. At the end of October, Russian refineries were processing approximately 700,000 metric tons, or five million barrels, of crude oil daily.
The affected facilities include refineries in Ryazan, Yaroslavl and the Volga region.
One of the latest attacks took place on Monday, November 9, when a Ukrainian drone struck the Kirishi refinery in the Leningrad region, Russia’s second-largest oil processing facility. The strike sparked a fire, and one woman was killed, according to the regional governor.
Fuel shortages compound pressure on Moscow
The renewed strikes are adding to pressure on Russia's domestic fuel market, where supply shortages have resurfaced. At the same time, Moscow continues to ship diesel to international markets under an export deal involving US President Donald Trump.
Ukraine stepped up its attacks on Russian refineries after an attempted ceasefire on strikes against energy infrastructure, announced by Trump between Kyiv and Moscow, failed to take hold at the end of October.
In an article published on Tuesday, November 10, in the Russian daily Kommersant, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine was ignoring Trump's calls to halt attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week that Kyiv would continue striking Russia's oil sector in response to Moscow's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
He said Ukrainian power plants, energy networks, heating systems and water supply facilities were under constant attack, adding that Moscow had “refused the de-escalation steps that our partners talked about.”
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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