Ukraine strikes Russian oil refineries in August, pushing refining output to 20-year low

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry announced that its forces struck 12 large Russian oil refineries in August, part of a broader campaign that saw at least 21 recorded attacks on Russian refining infrastructure during the month. That figure represents the highest monthly total since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The result has been dramatic. Russian oil refining volumes dropped to approximately 3.8 million barrels per day, a level the country hasn’t seen in more than two decades. The scope of the damage The strikes weren’t scattered potshots at minor facilities. Ukraine’s drone campaign targeted some of Russia’s most significant refining operations, including four of the country’s ten largest refineries. Facilities at Kirishi (the KINEF plant), Nizhny Novgorod, and Volgograd were among those severely affected. Some plants endured repeated hits: the YANOS refinery, for instance, was targeted multiple times throughout 2026. Ukraine’s military has framed these operations under its “Deep Strike” doctrine, using long-range drones to reach targets hundreds of kilometers inside Russian territory. Russia’s fuel crunch by the numbers The downstream effects on Russia’s fuel sup...