Drone Strikes Force Half of Russia’s Top Diesel Refineries to Cut Output

Half of Russia’s six largest diesel-producing refineries have been forced to significantly reduce or halt production this month after sustaining damage in Ukrainian drone attacks, according to Reuters calculations based on data from fuel market participants. The disruption comes as Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure continue to hit fuel production, prompting Moscow to restrict exports of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. US President Donald Trump on Sunday called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop targeting Russian diesel infrastructure, saying the strikes were causing a fuel shortage that was “hurting the world” – a concern he has pinned on Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, rather than his own war in Iran. Ukraine says Russian refineries are legitimate military targets. Six refineries – Omsk, Kirishi, Taneco, Volgograd, NORSI and Perm – account for about half of Russia’s diesel production. Kirishi has been fully shut down, while the Volgograd and NORSI refineries are operating at about one-quarter of their nameplate capacity. Ukrainian strikes cripple Russian refining Ukrainian drones have struck Russian oil refineries at least 70 times since the beginning of 2026, pushing Russia’s refining output to its lowest level in two decades. By the end of August, gasoline production covered only around 70% of domestic demand, leaving a shortfall of roughly 30,000 tons per day. Other Topics of Interest Drone Attacks in the Ukrainian-Polish Border Region A passenger train travelling from Kyiv to Warsaw was hit by a Russian drone in Ukraine on Sunday. It was not far from the Polish border. At least 17 Russian regions have introduced restrictions on fuel sales, including limits of 30-40 liters per vehicle and “odd-even” systems based on license-plate numbers. At least seven Russian refineries fully or partially halted production in August following drone attacks. On Sept. 2, the KINEF refinery in Leningrad Oblast – Russia’s second-largest refinery by capacity – completely stopped processing. Taneco was also hit on Sunday, although the full impact of the attack has not yet been assessed. The disruptions have contributed to Moscow’s decision to restrict fuel exports. Before the restrictions, Russia exported less than 1 million metric tons of diesel in June, compared with around 2.5 million tons a year earlier. Including lower-quality gasoil, monthly exports had previously reached 3.3-3.4 million tons. Turkey and Brazil were among the largest buyers, taking at least half of the available cargoes for several months before the restrictions were introduced. The International Energy Agency said a Russian refinery was successfully hit, on average, once every three days during the first eight months of 2026. The pressure on fuel markets is also being felt outside Russia. The US national average diesel price rose above $6 per gallon on Sept. 10 for the first time, according to GasBuddy. Diesel is widely used to power trucks, trains, ships and agricultural machinery, making disruptions to supply particularly significant for transport and farming. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.