Lukoil refineries offline following Ukrainian drone strikes

All four major oil refineries owned by Lukoil are currently offline following a series of Ukrainian drone strikes. The most recent attack occurred on August 26, targeting the Nizhny Novgorod-orgsintez (NORSI) refinery in Kstovo. This facility is Russia’s fourth-largest refinery and its second-largest gasoline producer.

The strike on the NORSI plant reportedly damaged several processing units, inter-unit infrastructure, and general plant facilities. While the extent of the damage is being assessed, it remains unclear how long the site will be offline for repairs. This follows previous disruptions at other Lukoil sites, including the Perm refinery, which halted operations after an August 21 attack, and the Volgograd refinery, which ceased activity following a July 31 strike. The Ukhta refinery in the Komi Peninsula has also faced limitations since an attack in February.

These repeated strikes on energy infrastructure have contributed to fuel shortages and long lines at gas stations across Russia. To mitigate these shortages, Kazakhstan has announced plans to process Russian crude and return 70% of its diesel and gasoline output to Russia.