Ukraine Knocks Out 15 Russian Refineries, $23 Billion in Damage

Ukrainian strikes have knocked 15 of Russia’s 38 major oil refineries out of operation, while another 12 have reduced production, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) said.The assessment, covering the situation as of late September 2026, said combined crude processing volumes at the affected facilities had fallen 55.4% compared with the beginning of the year.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The agency estimated that Ukrainian precision strikes on Russian oil infrastructure had caused more than $23.2 billion in economic damage. It compared that figure with what it said was the sector’s total income of $26.6 billion in 2025.Major refining facilities disruptedHUR identified the Volga, Central, and Southern federal districts as the areas facing the most difficult conditions because of refinery shutdowns.Among the major facilities affected by disruptions, it named Slavneft-YANOS, Kirishinefteorgsintez, the Ryazan Oil Refining Company, Gazprom Neft’s Moscow refinery, and Lukoil’s Permnefteorgsintez.Those five facilities together account for about 33% of Russia’s total oil refining volumes.Refineries farther from Ukraine continue to operate, helping Moscow temporarily compensate for fuel shortages, HUR said.The agency listed Gazprom Neft’s Omsk refinery, the Achinsk refinery, NefteKhimServis, and the Khabarovsk, Mari, and Vanino refineries among the operating facilities. Their combined processing volume reached 906,000 barrels a day in September, an increase of 147,000 barrels a day from the beginning of the year. They accounted for about 24% of Russia’s total oil refining that month. Other Topics of Interest Russia Cuts ‘Death Benefits’ for Fallen Soldiers as War Drains Budgets At least 12 Russian regions have cut or scrapped payments to families of soldiers killed in Ukraine amid growing budget deficits. But their location limits their ability to replace lost production elsewhere. Shortages of railway rolling stock and road tankers complicate deliveries of petroleum products to the areas that need them.Output at those plants could also decline in 2027 because maintenance originally scheduled for this year has been postponed until then, the agency said.Despite efforts to shift production to surviving facilities, Russia cannot fully meet domestic demand for petroleum products while also fulfilling its export commitments.The agency also alleged that Russia had begun importing fuel from other countries through opaque arrangements designed to circumvent international sanctions.Earlier in November, Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine could stop striking Russian oil refineries if Moscow halted attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure or the US supplied Kyiv with Patriot air defense missiles, including on a short-term basis.“We said that if you want us not to attack Russia’s refineries, they must not attack our energy system,” Zelensky said.He also proposed an alternative: Washington could provide Ukraine with a package of Patriot missiles for one month, with Kyiv willing to pay for the weapons rather than receive them as military aid.“Give us this package. We need the package, and you can give us for one month, not for three months,” Zelensky said. “For one month, if you need us not to attack their refineries one month, give me Patriots for one month.” Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.