**Russia’s Oil Refineries Hit by Ukrainian Drone Attacks**
In a significant escalation of Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks, Russia’s Ryazan oil refinery has cut its production in half and the Novokuibyshevsk refinery has halted all operations. According to Reuters, two undisclosed sources confirmed that the drone attacks have damaged key facilities at both refineries.
**Repercussions on Russia’s Oil Industry**
The Novokuibyshevsk refinery, located in Samara Oblast, is one of the largest oil processing facilities in Russia, with a production capacity of 8.3 million metric tons per year. The Ryazan refinery, which has also been affected, processed over 13.1 million metric tons of crude oil last year.
**Ukraine’s Strategy to Disrupt Russian Oil Income**
The drone attacks on Russia’s oil refineries are part of Ukraine’s strategy to disrupt Moscow’s war efforts by targeting the country’s main source of revenue: oil and gas income. Oil revenues cover roughly one-third of the Russian federal budget, making them a crucial component of the government’s war chest.
**International Sanctions Weigh Heavily on Rosneft**
The state-owned Rosneft oil company, which operates both refineries, has been under international sanctions since 2014. The latest attacks are likely to further strain relations between Russia and Western countries.
**Ukrainian Drones Target Multiple Facilities Across Russia**
Overnight on August 2, Ukrainian drones targeted multiple industrial and military facilities across Russia, including the Annanefteprodukt fuel storage base near Anna village in Voronezh Oblast. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) also claimed responsibility for targeting the Primorsko-Akhtarsk airfield and the Elektropribor plant.
**US President Trump’s Warning to Moscow**
In a separate development, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil unless the Kremlin agrees to a peace deal by August 8. The warning came as Ukraine seeks to disrupt Russia’s fossil fuel income through long-range drone strikes.
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