Ukrainian drone attack forces halt at Russia's Orsk refinery

Russia's Orsknefteorgsintez oil refinery has stopped processing crude oil after a Ukrainian drone attack on August 11 caused a fire and damaged key refining units, according to two industry sources.

The plant, located roughly 1,900 kilometers east of the Russia-Ukraine border, was hit by drones on Tuesday. Ukraine's military confirmed the strike. The sources said the attack damaged several refining units at the facility, though the extent of the damage was not specified.

Forteinvest, the company that owns the refinery, did not respond to requests for comment.

The Orsk refinery has a nameplate capacity of 5.76 million metric tons per year, or about 115,200 barrels per day. In 2024, it processed 4.2 million tons of crude oil, producing 1.8 million tons of diesel, 600,000 tons of gasoline, 500,000 tons of bitumen, and 200,000 tons of fuel oil.

Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure this year, targeting refineries, pipelines, and ports. The strikes have contributed to fuel supply problems inside Russia.