The frequent drone strikes by Ukraine have forced nearly all oil refineries in central Russia to halt operations.

In May, Ukraine escalated its strikes further. According to Robert Brovdi, Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed or damaged at least ten Russian oil refineries in the first 20 days of May alone—including facilities in Moscow, Ryazan, Perm, Kirishi, Samara, and Tuapse. Particularly notable was a sustained nighttime raid in late May, during which Ukrainian drones employed multi-wave, multi-directional, and comprehensive coverage tactics to evade Russian border air-defense systems and penetrate hundreds—up to nearly one thousand—kilometers deep into Russian territory. Over three consecutive nights, they simultaneously targeted multiple energy hubs around Moscow, Ryazan, Syzran, and Nizhny Novgorod, severely damaging 11 Russian oil refineries. I. Timeline of停产 or severe production cuts at Russian refineries caused by Ukrainian drone strikes: Below is a list of major Russian oil refineries confirmed to have halted operations or suffered severe output reductions since May 2026: Kirishi Refinery (KINEF) — Russia’s second-largest refinery, with an annual capacity of approximately 20 million tons, located in Leningrad Oblast and the largest refining facility in northwestern Russia. During the night of May 4–5, Ukrainian drones struck the site, damaging three of its four crude distillation units, leading to a full shutdown on May 5. The refinery supplies Europe and key domestic markets, serving as a critical diesel supplier; its shutdown directly disrupted fuel supply chains across northwestern Russia. Ryazan Refinery — Russia’s third-largest refinery, with an annual capacity of 17 million tons. On May 15, Ukrainian drones precisely hit the area housing its main refining units (AVT-1/2/3/4 and AT-6), triggering a major fire and forcing a complete shutdown. Accounting for roughly 5% of Russia’s total refining capacity, its closure directly cut off about 5% of refined product supply to central Russia. Moscow Refinery — With an annual capacity of approximately 12 million tons, it supplies most of the capital region’s fuel needs. Following a drone strike on May 17, the refinery suspended operations. Though damage was reportedly minor, the plant opted for a precautionary shutdown and maintenance. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin acknowledged that at least five drones struck Moscow, prompting partial closure of the city’s airport. Nizhny Novgorod Federal Refinery (NORSI) — Russia’s fourth-largest refinery, with an annual capacity of 17 million tons, responsible for supplying most of Moscow’s refined products—producing roughly 5 million tons of gasoline and over 5 million tons of diesel annually. It was struck three times: on April 5, May 18, and May 20. Its core primary refining unit—the ELOU-AVT—was hit and set ablaze. As of May 20, the refinery had ceased production and remained in standby for repairs. Yaroslavl Refinery (YANOS) — A major Russian refining enterprise. After being struck on May 8, it virtually halted gasoline sales and reduced diesel sales by 60%, operating at only about one-quarter of its nominal capacity. Additionally, the Perm Refinery (annual capacity: 12.6 million tons) fully halted operations after being struck on May 7; the Tuapse Refinery suspended operations following its fourth strike at the end of April; and the Syzran Refinery suffered two strikes—on April 18 and May 21—forcing its main refining units offline.

Russia claims several refineries will soon complete repairs—what does this reflect about its energy industry’s capabilities?

Over the past fifteen years, Russia’s refining sector has undergone large-scale modernization. Phase I (2011–2018): 1.6 trillion rubles invested, completing construction and upgrading of 95 secondary processing units. Phase II began in 2019; as of early 2026, 27 of the planned 40 facilities have entered operation. This technological upgrade raised Russia’s 2025 crude processing depth to 84.2%, light-oil product yield to 65.8%, and the share of high-quality gasoline meeting K5 standards to 96.2%. However, large-scale digitalization and equipment upgrades have also exposed new vulnerabilities. Sanctions have led to the seizure of foreign-sourced equipment for which payments were already made. Refineries have been forced to urgently seek alternative suppliers, revise engineering plans, and re-conduct technical certifications—pushing back scheduled maintenance timelines while compressing project delivery deadlines. Large-scale infrastructure attacks have further worsened the situation. Each АВТ atmospheric-vacuum distillation unit, hydrocracking/coking reactor, is custom-built for a specific refinery, feedstock, and process flow—making off-the-shelf procurement impossible. Redesigning equipment using domestically substituted components, adjusting engineering documentation in accordance with current standards, takes 2–4 months. Moreover, reactors and distillation towers require specialized high-temperature, corrosion-resistant steel to withstand extreme heat and pressure. Metallurgical enterprises produce such specialty steels only on order. Just waiting for raw specialty steel materials at equipment manufacturing plants can take 3–6 months. Secondary processing units such as hydrotreating and catalytic reforming rely heavily on high-tech chemical catalysts. Modern deep-processing units once depended entirely (100%) on imported Western catalysts. Digital control systems face similar challenges: many devices’ automation systems are built entirely upon Western chips and software. Sanctions have severed official software update channels and shut down legitimate supply routes for control units. Replacing or repairing burned-out digital control modules via parallel imports is virtually impossible in the short term. While small chips may be rerouted through third countries, 50-meter-tall precision distillation towers, reactors, and compressors cannot be transported this way. Equipment manufacturers strictly monitor heavy-equipment logistics, rendering gray-market channels incapable of delivering core machinery. Considering all constraints, repair and reconstruction timelines for distillation towers (i.e., entire АВТ primary processing units) depend directly on damage severity—ranging from two weeks to six months. In cases of extensive destruction, repair periods could extend further, potentially lasting until late 2026 or even early 2027. Under sanctions, reverse engineering has become a critical engineering tool for Russian refineries to restore operations after accidents or attacks. When original blueprints from Western licensors are inaccessible and original spare parts cannot be procured directly, this technique enables replication of unique imported components based on physical samples. Key steps include laser 3D scanning, materials science analysis, digital twin modeling, and localized custom manufacturing. Main challenges include: tower equipment requiring extremely high geometric dimensional accuracy to maintain chemical process equilibrium in fractionation; imported pumps and compressors demanding perfect dynamic balance for impellers, shafts, end-face seals, and bearings under ultra-high rotational speeds; and pipeline-valve components—such as high-pressure valve seats, stems, regulating valve discs, and actuator parts—requiring specialized high-temperature, corrosion-resistant alloys.

Russia's Perm oil refinery halts processing after May 7 drone attack, sources say

May 13, 2026

Russia's Perm oil refinery owned by Lukoil halted processing following a Ukrainian drone attack on May 7, damaging equipment and stopping three primary crude distillation units. Repairs may take several weeks, impacting production of gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil.

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