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Russia has reportedly lost about 30% of its oil refining capacity following a renewed wave of Ukrainian drone attacks since late October, even after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire on energy infrastructure and pushed ahead with peace efforts between the two countries.
The attacks have disrupted operations at nine of Russia's 35 major refineries over the past week, further complicating Moscow's efforts to manage domestic fuel shortages while continuing to ship diesel to international markets under an export deal with Washington, sources told Reuters.
The Russian refineries affected by attacks since late October have a combined daily nameplate capacity of around 300,000 metric tons, equivalent to 2.2 million barrels, according to the sources.
The figure includes three major plants in central Russia and accounts for a significant portion of the country's total primary refining capacity of about 930,000 tons per day. Other affected facilities include refineries in Ryazan, Yaroslavl and the Volga region.
At the end of October, Russian refineries were processing about 700,000 tons, or 5 million barrels, of crude oil daily. The sources estimate that the attacks could have reduced actual crude processing by as much as 200,000 tons per day.
The latest attacks also reached the Kirishi oil refinery, Russia's second-largest, on Monday. A Ukrainian drone hit the facility in an overnight operation, setting the refinery on fire and killing a woman, the governor of the Leningrad region said.
Trump announced on Oct. 9 that Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to the U.S. and international markets following what he described as a successful conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Under the arrangement, Moscow was expected to deliver another 500,000 tons in November, followed by 1 million tons. Trump also outlined plans for Russia to release 3 million tons of diesel within a short period, depending on the condition of its refineries.
The U.S. Treasury Department subsequently issued a temporary six-month license easing sanctions on Russian diesel shipments, allowing transactions through April 2027.
However, the two arrangements have faced separate setbacks. The proposed energy ceasefire has failed to prevent further Ukrainian strikes, while Russian diesel shipments have run into logistical and legal obstacles, with two tankers initially bound for the U.S. changing course.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Kyiv of disregarding Trump's calls to halt attacks on Russian energy infrastructure in an article published Tuesday in the Russian daily Kommersant.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, defended the continued strikes on Russia's oil sector last week, pointing to persistent Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian power plants, energy networks, heating systems and water supplies remain under constant attack, Zelenskyy said, accusing Moscow of having "refused the de-escalation steps that our partners talked about."
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