Ukraine Drone Strike Halts Russia's No. 4 Refinery, Knocking Out 12,000 Tons a Day
Updated
Updated · Kyiv Independent · Jun 25
Ukraine Drone Strike Halts Russia's No. 4 Refinery, Knocking Out 12,000 Tons a Day
3 articles · Updated · Kyiv Independent · Jun 25
Summary
Lukoil's NORSI refinery in Kstovo went offline on June 24 after a Ukrainian drone strike damaged its CDU-5 primary refining unit, according to two industry sources cited by Reuters.
The hit knocked out a unit that handles about a quarter of NORSI's capacity—roughly 12,000 metric tons per day—though the plant may try to restart using other units.
SPIMEX suspended sales of NORSI diesel and gasoline from June 24, while Nizhny Novgorod's governor said falling drone debris damaged an industrial site in the region and killed two people.
The shutdown adds to Russia's fuel squeeze, with regional sales restrictions already in place and the Kremlin weighing a diesel export ban on top of temporary curbs on jet fuel and gasoline.
NORSI processes about 17 million tons of crude a year and is Russia's second-largest gasoline producer, making its outage another blow in Ukraine's widening campaign against Russian energy infrastructure.
Can Russia's war economy survive a deepening fuel crisis as its refineries burn?
With Russian refineries failing, is the world's energy security more fragile than it seems?
As Ukrainian drones cripple Russian oil, is this the new face of economic warfare?
Moscow Under Fire: How Ukraine’s June 2026 Drone Strikes Sparked a Russian Fuel and Economic Crisis
Overview
On June 18, 2026, Ukrainian drones launched a major attack on Moscow, targeting the vital Kapotnya oil refinery. The strike caused extensive fires, sending thick black smoke over the city and creating a dramatic scene visible from the Moscow ring road. This attack not only disrupted Moscow’s main fuel supply but also highlighted Ukraine’s growing ability to strike deep inside Russia. The resulting damage led to fuel shortages and rising prices, exposing vulnerabilities in Russia’s energy infrastructure and putting new pressure on its economy and daily life.