Russia’s Second-Largest Oil Refinery Halts Operations After Drone Attacks

Russia’s second-largest oil refinery, located in the city of Kirishi in the Leningrad region, has halted operations after Ukrainian drone attacks.

Reuters reported on this.

According to available information, three of the refinery’s four primary crude distillation units were lost in the strikes.

These units are critical to operations, and without them, the plant cannot function at full capacity.

The facility is located approximately 800 km from the Ukrainian border and has been repeatedly targeted. In October 2025, Special Operations Forces disabled critical equipment.

Further strikes were reported on March 26 and May 5, 2026.

Reuters sources say it is currently difficult to estimate when the damaged facilities will be restored.

In addition to the main units, several auxiliary systems were also damaged.

Kirishi Oil Refinery

The plant specializes in oil refining and produces a wide range of petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, aviation fuel, and other components.

The facility is part of Surgutneftegaz. Its annual capacity is about 20.1 million tonnes of oil, making it a key element of Russia’s refining industry.

The plant is located approximately 790 km from Ukraine’s border. According to available data, this is at least the fifth recorded attack on the refinery.