Renewed Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries since late October have reduced Russia's oil refining capacity by about 30%, two industry sources told Reuters on Tuesday. Ukraine has stepped up strikes on Russian refineries since the end of October, when a ceasefire on attacks on energy facilities that US President Donald Trump announced between Kyiv and Moscow failed to take hold.

Source: Reuters via The Business Standard

Awaaz Punjab reported the campaign as it unfolded — including Monday's strike on the Kirishi refinery, Russia's second-largest. Read: Ukrainian drones strike Russia's second-largest oil refinery at Kirishi

Ukrainian attacks disrupted operations and caused emergency situations at nine of Russia's 35 major refineries over the past week, according to industry sources and officials. The combined daily nameplate capacity of the refineries affected since late October, including three major plants in central Russia, stands at around 300,000 metric tons — yaani about 3 lakh tonnes — or 2.2 million barrels, compared with Russia's total primary refining capacity of about 930,000 tons per day, the sources said.

About 30%Share of Russia's refining capacity reduced since late October, per two industry sources (Reuters)
9 of 35Major Russian refineries disrupted over the past week
300,000 tons/dayCombined nameplate capacity of affected plants (about 2.2 million barrels), of a 930,000-ton total
Up to 200,000 tons/dayEstimated actual reduction in crude processing

At the end of October, Russian refineries were processing about 700,000 tons, or 5 million barrels, of crude per day, according to the sources, who estimate the actual reduction in crude processing could be up to 200,000 tons per day. The affected plants include refineries in Ryazan, Yaroslavl and the Volga region. On Monday, a Ukrainian drone struck the Kirishi oil refinery, Russia's second-largest, in an overnight attack that set the refinery on fire, the governor of the Leningrad region said, adding that one woman had been killed in the attack — a death reported by the governor and not independently verified in this reporting.

The strain is already showing at the pumps: fuel shortages and rationing have returned across Russian regions. Read: Fuel shortages return to Russia as Rosneft rations petrol and diesel

The attacks add to Moscow's difficulties in addressing domestic fuel shortages as it ships diesel to international markets under an export deal with US President Donald Trump, Reuters reported. In an article published on Tuesday in the Russian daily Kommersant, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine was ignoring Trump's calls to stop strikes on Russian energy targets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week that Kyiv was continuing to launch attacks on targets associated with Russia's oil sector in response to Russian strikes on energy targets, saying Ukrainian power plants, energy networks, heating systems and water supply systems were subject to constant attacks and that Moscow had 'refused the de-escalation steps that our partners talked about'.

What is solid

  • Two industry sources told Reuters the late-October strike wave has reduced Russian refining capacity by about 30%, with nine of 35 major refineries disrupted in the past week
  • Affected plants' nameplate capacity is about 300,000 tons/day of a 930,000-ton national total; actual processing loss is estimated at up to 200,000 tons/day — Reuters' sources
  • The Kirishi refinery, Russia's second-largest, was set on fire in Monday's overnight drone attack — Leningrad region governor, via Reuters

What is only claimed

  • The 30% figure is an industry-source estimate of affected nameplate capacity, not a measured output fall — the same sources put the actual processing cut lower, at up to 200,000 tons/day
  • The reported death of one woman at Kirishi rests on the regional governor's statement; casualty and damage claims from each side in this war are attributed, not independently verified

What happens next: how long the nine disrupted refineries stay down will decide whether Russia's fuel shortages deepen into winter or ease — and whether Moscow can keep diesel exports flowing under its deal with Washington while motorists at home face rationing. Repair timelines have not been published by the operators or the sources in this reporting.