Russia’s Kuibyshev oil refinery has ceased operation of its primary unit following a drone attack, reducing its capacity by half. The refinery, owned by Rosneft, located in Samara, suffered the shutdown of CDU-5, one of its two primary refining units, due to the assault over the weekend, as revealed by industry insiders.
Dmitry Azarov, the Regional Governor, reported a fire outbreak at the refinery following a Ukrainian drone attack, indicating that the blaze engulfed the primary oil refining unit. Ukraine’s escalated assaults on Russian oil infrastructure aim to weaken its military capabilities and hinder its advancements.
Ukraine successfully strikes another Russian oil refinery, the Kuybyshev NPZ, overnight. It’s nearly 600 miles from the border. https://t.co/1m3PqGInqq pic.twitter.com/COpwBuuniU
— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) March 23, 2024
Over the past year, Ukrainian drones have targeted numerous refineries and depots in western Russia, resulting in an estimated 12 percent reduction in Russia’s refinery capacity, subsequently impacting gas prices for Russian consumers. As a response, Moscow reinstated a ban on gasoline exports to preserve domestic supplies ahead of the summer travel season.
The Ukrainian government views these oil raids as a means to financially strain Moscow, disrupt military logistics, and foster dissatisfaction among Russian citizens. However, experts caution against expecting these drone attacks to have a decisive impact, characterizing them as limited strikes that may affect logistics but do not significantly impact overall refining volumes.
Russia remains a significant global energy exporter, but disruptions in oil production have contributed to a rise in oil prices. Concerns also linger about potential Russian retaliation and the impact on critical energy infrastructure relied upon by the West, including pipelines and terminals.
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