Ukrainian drone strikes push Russian refinery output to low levels.
KYIV – Ukraine says it has struck two major fuel production facilities and an oil pumping station inside Russia, increasing pressure on Russian refinery operations, which fell in April to their lowest level in several years.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said drone strikes hit an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, about 282 kilometres north-east of Moscow, during the night.
Ukraine’s security service Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) also reported new attacks on the Permnefteorgsintez refinery in Perm and a nearby oil pumping station, around 1,500 kilometres east of Moscow.
Both facilities were also targeted earlier this week, according to Bloomberg.
According to the SBU, one crude oil processing unit at the refinery caught fire, while storage tanks at the pumping station were also hit.
Both refineries are among the 10 largest fuel production facilities in Russia.
The Yaroslavl refinery, jointly owned by Rosneft and Gazprom Neft, has a processing capacity of around 300,000 barrels per day.
Meanwhile, the Perm refinery, owned by Lukoil, can process about 260,000 barrels per day.
The Perm pumping station is part of Russia’s main pipeline network, transporting oil from Western Siberia to central Russia and onward to Lukoil refineries.
Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian oil infrastructure throughout the spring, targeting refineries and sea terminals almost daily.
The strategy aims to reduce Moscow’s significant revenue from current high global oil prices.
April’s attacks are estimated to have pushed Russia’s average refinery operating capacity to its lowest level since December 2009, according to OilX analytics.
Lukoil, Gazprom Neft, and state pipeline operator Transneft have not commented on the incidents.
Yaroslavl regional governor Mikhail Yevrayev said an industrial facility was hit by a drone attack, but the fire was quickly brought under control.
Meanwhile, Perm regional governor Dmitry Makhonin said Ukrainian drones targeted several industrial sites, without specifying which facilities were affected. (DK/LM)
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