A long-range Ukrainian drone strike targeted Lukoil’s NORSI refinery, damaging one of its main processing units and forcing the facility to halt operations. The shutdown has raised concerns over worsening fuel shortages and potential supply disruptions across Russia.
According to Reuters, NORSI—Russia’s fourth-largest oil refinery and petrochemical complex by processing capacity, as well as the country’s second-largest gasoline producer—suspended production on Wednesday after the attack.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly stated that long-range strikes on Russian energy infrastructure are intended to weaken Moscow’s ability to finance the war and increase pressure on the Kremlin. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the attacks are aimed at creating instability among the civilian population.
Industry sources said the strike damaged the refinery’s CDU-5 primary crude processing unit, which handles around 12,000 metric tons of crude per day, roughly a quarter of the plant’s total refining capacity. However, they noted that production could partially resume using other processing units.
The refinery is owned by Lukoil, which has not commented on the incident. Following the attack, the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SPIMEX) suspended gasoline and diesel fuel sales from the NORSI refinery.
Nizhny Novgorod Governor Gleb Nikitin confirmed that drone debris damaged an industrial facility in the region, killing two people, although he did not officially identify the site.
Analysts say the incident underscores the vulnerability of Russia’s energy infrastructure. The duration of the refinery’s outage and the speed of repairs could significantly affect regional fuel supplies, while continued disruptions may put additional pressure on gasoline and diesel prices.
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