Oil production at a Russian refinery comes to a halt following an attack.
Ukrainian Drone Attack Cripples Russian Oil Refinery, Sparks Crisis
A Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian oil refinery in the Saratov region has caused a significant disruption to Russia's oil refining capacity, with immediate consequences including casualties, facility damage, and operational shutdowns [1][3]. This attack is part of a broader pattern of Ukrainian strikes targeting key Russian energy infrastructure deep inside Russian territory, affecting multiple regions and major refineries [2][4][5].
The Impact
The Rosneft-operated Saratov refinery suspended crude intake after the August 10 drone strike, disrupting its annual processing capacity of 5.8 million metric tons [3]. This facility was the third Rosneft refinery affected within a week. At least one person was killed and multiple were wounded, and a fire broke out at the Saratov site, demonstrating the physical and human toll of the attack [1].
The strike contributed to a wider shutdown of at least four major refineries in Russia in August 2025, including Lukoil's Volgograd refinery (capacity 14.8 million tons) and others in Ryazan, Samara, and Novokuibyshevsk regions [2][4][5]. Russia's overall oil refining capacity has fallen by more than 13.5% due to these and related drone attacks, with an estimated disruption of 44.3 million tons of annual refining capacity out of about 328 million tons nationally [4][5].
The refinery shutdowns have driven gasoline and fuel prices in Russia to historic highs, affecting both domestic markets and Russia’s war economy [2][4].
Potential Long-term Consequences
The ongoing drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure threaten to erode Moscow’s ability to generate revenue from petroleum products, a critical source of funding for its military operations in Ukraine [5]. Sustained disruption could force Russia to import refined fuels or diversify supply chains, increasing costs and logistical complexity.
Damage to refinery infrastructure risks long repair times, potentially taking facilities offline for months, further constraining Russia's energy sector output. The inability to fully process crude oil internally may lead to broader economic strain within Russia, including job losses, decreased industrial output, and inflationary pressures, especially in regions reliant on these refineries.
Strategically, Ukraine’s demonstrated capacity to strike deep inside Russia’s territory and critical infrastructure could shift the balance of economic warfare, pressuring Russian political and military leaders toward reconsidering the conflict’s sustainability.
International Response
Germany supports the goal of US President Donald Trump to end the Russian attack on Ukraine [6]. However, Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul rejects speculations about territorial concessions by Ukraine for peace with Russia [7]. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney agree that peace cannot be imposed on Ukraine, but must be achieved together with the government in Kyiv [8].
Meanwhile, the Kremlin is stepping up efforts to create a "sovereign internet" disconnected from global networks and replace Western services with domestic ones [9]. Russia has reportedly tested the shutdown of video and audio calls on WhatsApp and Telegram [10]. Downdetector, a service that tracks service outages, registered nearly 7,500 reports of Telegram issues throughout the day, with most users experiencing problems with audio and video calls [11].
A Russian citizen has complained about bombing by the Russian air force in the Belgorod region [12]. However, the Kremlin is not mentioned as stepping up efforts to create a "sovereign internet" disconnected from global networks or replacing Western services with domestic ones in this paragraph [13].
[1] ntv.de, gho/dpa/rts/AFP [2] Bloomberg [3] ntv.de, gho/dpa/rts/AFP [4] Kyiv Independent [5] Tass [6] ntv.de, gho/dpa/rts/AFP [7] ntv.de, gho/dpa/rts/AFP [8] Starmer’s office [9] Kyiv Independent [10] Kyiv Independent [11] Downdetector [12] ntv.de, gho/dpa/rts/AFP [13] ntv.de, gho/dpa/rts/AFP
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