Ukrainian strikes have taken out at least 10% of Russia’s oil refining capacity – NATO assessment

A fire at the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia. Photo: Russian media

NATO believes that Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia’s oil refining infrastructure have significantly affected Russia’s fuel market and incurred additional financial costs.

Source: European Pravda’s correspondent from Brussels, citing a NATO official who spoke on condition of anonymity

Details: The source noted that Russia significantly increased its petrol imports from Belarus in March and has imposed a six-month ban on petrol exports to stabilise domestic prices. In addition, Moscow has not ruled out increasing crude oil exports, as it cannot refine it in sufficient quantities.

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“The strikes have likely taken out over 10% of Russia’s refining capacity, possibly over 15%. And depending on the extent of the damage, repairs could take a considerable time and involve considerable costs,” the NATO official added.

The source also pointed out that some of the Ukrainian drone strikes have been conducted at a distance of over 1,000 km, underscoring the scale of the attacks.

“I believe that in the future, fewer and fewer of these Russian energy infrastructure facilities will be protected from potential attacks, and the Russian economy will be increasingly affected in this area,” the source concluded.

Background:

• Earlier, Reuters reported that Russian oil companies are having difficulty repairing refineries due to Western sanctions, and Ukrainian drone attacks may exacerbate these issues.
• The US Department of State has refused to comment on whether the US had urged Ukraine not to attack Russian refineries but noted that Washington does not support strikes on facilities in Russia.

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