Most Oil Refineries in Central Russia Halt Operations After Drone Attacks
Impact of Drone Attacks on Russian Oil Refineries
May 20 (Reuters) - Virtually all major oil refineries in central Russia have been forced to halt or scale back fuel output following Ukrainian drone attacks in recent days, according to official data and sources.
Moscow already introduced gasoline exports ban starting from April until the end of July.
Extent of Refinery Shutdowns
The combined capacity of refineries that have fully or partially halted operations exceeds 83 million metric tons per year, or around 238,000 tons per day. That accounts for around one quarter of Russia's total refining capacity, according to data and sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Share in National Fuel Output
The combined share of the refineries in Russia's fuel output is over 30% for gasoline and about 25% for diesel.
Russia's energy ministry did not reply to a request for comment.
Increase in Ukrainian Drone Attacks
Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure, doubling the number of oil refineries targeted since the start of the year, according to various posts on social media by Russian officials.
Broader Impact on Energy Infrastructure
The strikes, which have also hit pipelines and storage facilities, have reduced Russia's oil output - the world's third-largest after the U.S. and Saudi Arabia - adding pressure to Moscow's federal budget, where oil and gas taxes account for roughly a quarter of revenue.
Key Refineries Affected
List of Targeted Refineries
Among the targeted oil refineries are Kirishi in western Russia, Moscow oil refinery as well as plants in Nizhny Novgorod on the Volga river, Ryazan and Yaroslavl.
Kirishi Refinery
One of Russia's largest refineries, Kirishi, with capacity of 20 million metric tons per year, has been fully shut since May 5, according to the sources.
Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez (NORSI) Refinery
Another major refinery, Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez (NORSI), with annual capacity of 17 million tons, was attacked on May 20. It remains unclear whether NORSI has been able to maintain partial operations.
(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Bernadette Baum)
