Finance
Factbox-Ukraine Renews Attacks on Russian Energy Sites - What Has Been Hit?
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 8, 2026
4 min readLast updated: April 8, 2026
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Ukraine’s intensified drone campaign has struck multiple major Russian energy sites—refineries and export terminals—crippling refining capacities and disrupting exports across ports and processing facilities.
Ukraine Renews Drone Attacks on Russian Oil Refineries and Energy Facilities
Summary and Impact of Recent Drone Attacks on Russian Energy Infrastructure
MOSCOW, April 8(Reuters) - Ukraine has increased attacks on Russian energy facilities in recent weeks as peace talks have failed to make progress.
Following is a summary of the attacks and their impact:
NORSI Oil Refinery Attack
Suspension of Operations
NORSI, Russia's fourth-largest oil refinery, owned by Lukoil, suspended operations on April 5 following a Ukrainian drone attack, two industry sources said.
Production Capacity
NORSI, which is also Russia's second-largest producer of gasoline, can process 16 million metric tons of oil per year, or around 320,000 barrels per day.
KIRISHI Oil Refinery Attack
Partial Restart Plans
Russia's Kirishi oil refinery may partially restart within a month, sources say, after halted processing at the end of March following Ukrainian drone attacks that caused fires. According to sources, three of the four primary units are expected to return to operations, adding up to around 60% of the refinery's nominal primary capacity.
Production Output
Last year, Kirishi produced 2 million tons of gasoline, 7.1 million tons of diesel, 6.1 million tons of fuel oil and 600,000 tons of bitumen.
UST-LUGA Processing Plant Attack
Suspension of Operations
Russian energy company Novatek <NVTK.MM> has suspended gas condensate processing and naphtha export loadings at its Ust-Luga complex after drone attacks causing a fire there, three market sources told Reuters. The Ust-Luga complex's three processing units, each with a capacity of 3 million tons a year, refine stable gas condensate into light and heavy naphtha, jet fuel, ship fuel oil and gasoil.
Annual Processing Data
In 2025, the complex processed 8.0 million tons of gas condensate, company data show.
UFA Oil Refinery Attack
Strike Details
Ukraine's military said last week it had struck Russia's Bashneft-Novoil oil refinery, over 1,400 km (870 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Processing Capacity
It can process more than 7 million tons of oil per year.
SARATOV Refinery Attack
Impact on Operations
The Saratov oil refinery, controlled by Rosneft, was hit by a drone on March 21 and its crude distillation unit has been shut down since the attack, according to sources.
Processing Statistics
In 2024, the refinery processed 5.8 million metric tons of oil, accounting for 2.2% of all Russia's oil refining.
ILSKY Refinery Attack
Fire and Aftermath
A fire broke out at the Ilsky oil refinery in southern Russia on February 17 as a result of drone attacks. The blaze was fully extinguished by the next day, according to regional officials.
Export Orientation
The Ilsky refinery, with an annual processing capacity of 6.6 million tons of oil, is export-oriented.
VOLGOGRAD Refinery Attack
Shutdown and Damage
The Volgograd refinery, owned by Lukoil, was completely shut down on February 11 as a result of drone attacks, according to sources. The drones hit, among other facilities, the primary oil processing unit CDU-1 whose capacity of 18,600 tons per day accounts for around 40% of the refinery's total.
Processing Volume
In 2024, the Volgograd refinery processed 13.7 million tons of oil.
UKHTA Refinery Attack
Fire Incident
A fire broke out on February 12 at the Ukhta refinery, owned by Lukoil, following a drone attack, according to regional officials.
Unit Capacity and Output
According to sources, the primary oil processing unit CDU-1 caught fire. The unit has a capacity of about 6,000 tons per day, or approximately one-third of the refinery's total.
In 2025, the Ukhta refinery in northern Russia processed around 3 million tons of oil.
AFIPSKY Refinery Attack
Fire and Export Focus
A fire occurred at the Afipsky refinery in southern Russia on January 21 as a result of drone attacks, according to regional officials.
The refinery is mostly focused on exports. It processed 7.2 million metric tons of crude oil, or 144,000 barrels per day, in 2024.
Ports and Tankers Attacks
Novorossiysk Port Incident
Russia's defence ministry said on Monday that Ukraine had attacked facilities at the maritime transhipment complex in the port of Novorossiysk overnight, damaging a mooring point for the Caspian Pipeline Consortium and causing four oil product reservoirs to catch fire.
Export Stability and Other Incidents
Kazakhstan said CPC oil exports via the Black Sea were stable after Russia reported the attack. U.S. oil major Chevron said on Tuesday crude oil exports from the vast Tengiz field had been uninterrupted.
Ukrainian drones sparked a fire at Russia's Sheskharis oil terminal on Monday.
Primorsk Oil Pipeline Attack
A portion of an oil pipeline at Russia's Baltic Sea port of Primorsk has been damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack, local governor Alexander Drozdenko said.
Primorsk, one of Russia's largest export gateways, which can handle 1 million barrels per day, lost at least 40% of its storage facilities in Ukrainian drone attacks last month.
(Reporting by Reuters;)
Key Takeaways
- •Ukraine’s drone strikes have forced shutdowns or disruptions at key refineries such as NORSI, Kirishi, Saratov, Ilsky, Volgograd, Ukhta and Afipsky, significantly reducing Russia’s refining output.
- •The Ust‑Luga export complex, a critical hub for gas condensate processing and naphtha exports, has suspended operations, impacting Asian feedstock supplies and tightening global markets.
- •Analysts estimate that these cumulative attacks have paralysed around 40% of Russia’s oil export capacity, delivering a strategic blow to Moscow’s revenue generation from energy exports.
Frequently Asked Questions about Factbox-Ukraine renews attacks on Russian energy sites - what has been hit?
1Which Russian oil refineries were recently hit by Ukrainian drone attacks?
Major refineries such as NORSI, Kirishi, Ust-Luga, Bashneft-Novoil, Saratov, Ilsky, Volgograd, Ukhta, and Afipsky have all been targeted by Ukrainian drone strikes.
2What impact have the attacks had on Russian energy production?
The attacks have led to shutdowns, fires, and reduced operational capacity at several major refineries, impacting Russia's gasoline, diesel, and oil exports.
3Has the Novorossiysk port or related infrastructure been affected?
Yes, Ukraine targeted the maritime transhipment complex in Novorossiysk, causing damage and fires, though oil exports via the Black Sea remained stable post-attack.
4Are Russian oil exports disrupted due to the Ukrainian strikes?
Despite attacks on key infrastructure, Kazakhstan and U.S. companies reported that oil exports, such as those from the Tengiz field, have continued.
5Why are Ukrainian forces targeting Russian energy sites?
Ukraine is increasing pressure on Russian energy infrastructure as peace talks have stalled, aiming to disrupt Russia's economic and military capabilities.
