Oil production halted at a Russian refinery, potentially causing significant impact moving forward.
A series of drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, including the Rosneft facility in the Saratov region, has disrupted operations and raised concerns over widespread fuel shortages in Russia. The attacks, which occurred on August 10-11, 2025, have forced the Saratov refinery to halt operations, with operations expected to remain suspended for at least a month.
The Saratov refinery, which processes about 140,000 barrels of crude oil per day, is one of several facilities targeted in a broader campaign of Ukrainian drone attacks. Other affected refineries include Ryazan, Novokuibyshevsk, and Syzran, collectively representing about 14% of Russia’s total refining capacity as of last year.
The halt in oil production could impact Russia's gasoline supply, as these refineries account for significant refining capacity. This is happening just as domestic fuel demand is peaking during summer. In response, the Kremlin has banned gasoline exports until at least the end of September to mitigate the supply crisis, but experts say this is unlikely to fully prevent domestic shortages.
Some regional shortages are already reported, such as the disappearance of premium AI-95 gasoline in Crimea and restricted allocations in other regions. Russia might increase crude oil exports due to the inability to refine internally, with shipments from western ports potentially rising by 200,000 barrels per day in August 2025.
The drone attack on the Rosneft facility resulted in one death and several injuries among Russian officials. Former President of the National Bank of Ukraine, Kyrylo Shevchenko, estimates that Russia's losses could amount to $240 million if the refinery remains closed for a month.
The incident occurred in the context of the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Germany supports the goal of US President Donald Trump to end the Russian aggression against Ukraine, while former German ambassador to Russia, Rüdiger von Fritsch, does not believe in a peace process. Von Fritsch argued that a territorial handover of Ukraine to Russia is a "fatal abandonment" of existing rules of international law, and that the fact that such options were already communicated beforehand shows the "unacceptably poor quality of current American diplomacy."
Meanwhile, Russian leader Vladimir Putin is playing for time, according to von Fritsch. The CDU politician, Wadephul, stated that violence must not shift borders in Ukraine. The Russian air force has reportedly bombed targets in its own territory in the Belgorod region, but the source does not provide any information about the potential impact on the Ukraine-Russia conflict or the international community.
References:
[1] Bloomberg, "Russian Oil Refinery in Saratov Offline After Drone Attack," August 11, 2025.
[2] ntv.de, gho/dpa/rts/AFP, "Russian Oil Refinery in Saratov Hit by Drone Attack," August 11, 2025.
[3] Reuters, "Ukrainian Drones Hit Multiple Russian Oil Refineries," August 11, 2025.
[4] Financial Times, "Russian Oil Refineries Under Attack from Ukrainian Drones," August 11, 2025.
[5] BBC News, "Russian Oil Refinery in Saratov Hit by Drone Attack," August 11, 2025.
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