Ukraine struck at least three Russian oil refineries in overnight drone attacks between August 25 and 26, part of its ongoing campaign to disrupt the fuel supply chains feeding Russia’s military, killing at least two people and forcing multiple facilities to halt operations.
The Kstovo Strike
Ukrainian forces struck the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez refinery in Kstovo, in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, roughly 500 miles from the Ukrainian border. The facility is one of Russia’s largest, processing about 17 million tonnes of crude oil a year and accounting for up to 11% of the country’s gasoline production.
Deadly Strikes in Southern Russia
A separate wave of strikes hit two refineries in southern Russia on August 25. Falling drone debris killed two people and injured two others near the Afipsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region, sparking a fire at the facility. In the neighboring Rostov region, the Novoshakhtinsky refinery sustained damage and temporarily suspended processing after a separate attack.
Part of a Sustained Campaign
These strikes are the latest in a monthslong Ukrainian effort to target Russia’s oil refining capacity, aiming to reduce fuel available to Russian forces and strain the broader economy that funds the war. Russian officials have reported recurring gasoline shortages and long lines at gas stations in several regions as the refinery strikes have accumulated over the year.
