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russia’s Kirishi oil refinery, the country’s second largest, shut down on Tuesday after a Ukrainian drone attack damaged three of its four primary refining units. Two industry sources told Reuters. Over the past two months, Ukraine has significantly stepped up its long-range drone strikes, targeting russian oil infrastructure, including pipelines, ports, refineries and tankers. The aim of such actions is to weaken russia’s $3 trillion war economy.
Both russia and Ukraine are using swarms of long-range drones to target strategically important infrastructure far from the front lines. At the same time, such areas are constantly monitored by shorter-range drones.
Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said on Tuesday that the oil refinery in Kirishi, officially known as Kirishinefteorgsintez, was attacked and a fire broke out in the city’s industrial zone. Two sources, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said that three of the four primary refining units at the plant were damaged in the strike. Such units are key to the operation of any refinery, and without their functioning, the production process becomes impossible.
Surgutneftegaz, the company that controls the refinery, did not provide a prompt comment in response to the request.
Ukraine’s security service has claimed that it was the one that carried out the attack on the Kirishi oil refinery. russia treats such attacks as terrorist, while Ukraine emphasizes that it is acting in self-defense.
The Kirishi refinery, located about 800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian drones this year. The sources noted that it is difficult to determine the timeline for restoring the damaged units, adding that several ancillary production facilities have also been damaged.
The capacity of this refinery is 20 million tons per year, which is equivalent to about 400 thousand barrels per day. In recent years, the company has been processing about 18 million tons annually, accounting for about 7% of the total oil refining volume in russia. It is one of the key suppliers of diesel fuel for both the domestic market and exports.
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