Russia crude oil output drops amid infrastructure strikes and rising exports to China

Russia’s crude oil production saw a significant decline in August 2026, dropping by 160,000 barrels per day compared to July. According to OPEC reports, the country’s average output fell to 8.718 million barrels per day, marking its largest single-month decrease since December. This decline leaves Russia 1.17 million barrels per day below its required production levels under the OPEC+ agreement.

The production drop is attributed to intensified Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. In August alone, Ukrainian forces reportedly attacked Russian refineries at least 22 times, targeting both refining capacity and crude export assets.

Despite domestic production challenges, Russia remains China’s largest oil supplier. From January to August 2026, Russian oil exports to China increased by 18.1 percent, reaching 77.65 million tons, with the total value of these imports rising by 33.3 percent to $44.84 billion. This growth in Chinese demand comes as other suppliers, such as Saudi Arabia, have seen decreased exports to the region.