Ukraine Strike Shuts 250,000-bpd Perm Refinery as Drone Attacks Spread Across Russian Energy Sites
Updated
Updated · AnewZ · May 14
Ukraine Strike Shuts 250,000-bpd Perm Refinery as Drone Attacks Spread Across Russian Energy Sites
11 articles · Updated · AnewZ · May 14
Perm's 250,000-barrel-per-day refinery fully suspended operations after a 7 May Ukrainian drone strike sparked a fire and damaged equipment, extending a disruption first reported this week.
The shutdown fits a broader Ukrainian campaign against Russian energy infrastructure as peace talks stall, hitting refineries, gas plants, pipelines and export facilities across multiple regions.
Recent strikes also halted or disrupted major sites including Tuapse on the Black Sea, Rosneft's Syzran and Novokuibyshevsk refineries, and NORSI, Russia's fourth-largest refinery at about 320,000 bpd.
Export routes have also come under pressure: attacks hit Primorsk port infrastructure, oil-pumping stations and the Sheskharis terminal, raising concerns over storage capacity and shipment flows.
The cumulative effect is mounting strain on Russia's refining network, with outages and reduced runs threatening gasoline and diesel supply chains as well as export logistics.
With a US-Iran war raging, how is the global energy crisis shaping the endgame of the Russia-Ukraine conflict?
Have Ukrainian drone strikes inadvertently boosted Moscow's war chest by driving up global energy prices?
As black rain falls on Russian cities, are these energy attacks creating an ecological catastrophe that constitutes a war crime?
Disrupting Russia’s War Economy: The Impact of Ukraine’s May 2026 Drone Strikes on the Perm Oil Refinery
Overview
In May 2026, Ukraine launched a series of drone attacks on Russia’s Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez oil refinery, with the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces confirming responsibility. These strikes, part of a broader campaign targeting Russian oil infrastructure, caused significant disruption to refinery operations and followed earlier attacks that had already halted production at other major Russian refineries. The campaign aims to weaken Russia’s war economy by reducing oil output and exports, while also exposing the challenges Russia faces in defending its vast industrial assets. This escalation highlights Ukraine’s evolving drone capabilities and the growing impact on Russia’s energy sector and broader conflict dynamics.