Ukraine drone strikes on Russian oil refineries

How Putin’s refinery dream became Ukraine’s target

No separate article for this desk or language yet.

Russia introduced a diesel export ban.

Russia initiated an export ban on diesel and gas oil on July 8. Reports indicated that Moscow was preparing to extend this restriction beyond the initial date, while gasoline export restrictions were planned to last until the end of the year.

The impact of these restrictions coincided with a significant drop in volume; Russian diesel and gas oil exports fell from an average of 817,000 barrels per day in 2025 to approximately 234,000 barrels per day in early July 2026.

Drone attacks occurred at the Kstovo refinery in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

The Kstovo refinery, located in the Nizhny Novgorod region, ceased operations following drone attacks on May 18 and 20.

Satellite intelligence data indicated that the facility's distillation unit showed no heat signature as of July 18, suggesting production had not resumed nearly two months after the initial strikes.

Research team began monitoring night lights around 29 large Russian refineries.

In June 2022, a research team led by Fabio Sabatini from Sapienza University of Rome began examining night lights around 29 large Russian refineries. The study, which ran until May 2026, later found that after the first attack, light intensity within one kilometer of the facilities dropped by an average of 30%, with effects lasting over 13 months at some refineries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Tuapse refinery and opened a new oil processing unit.

In 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Tuapse refinery and opened what was then described as the country's most powerful and modern oil processing unit.