**Russia’s Oil Refinery Halted After Ukrainian Drone Strike**
An oil refinery in Russia’s Saratov Oblast, owned by the energy giant Rosneft, has stopped taking in oil after a drone attack by Ukraine. The refinery was hit on August 10, causing a large fire and explosions at the facility. One person was killed and others were injured in the strike.
**Impact on Domestic Gasoline Supplies**
The Saratov refinery, which has a processing capacity of 140,000 barrels of crude per day, has halted oil intake. This could lead to a prolonged operational pause, impacting domestic gasoline supplies. Russia is already struggling to stabilize its gasoline market amid surging prices, which are likely exacerbated by Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure.
**Recurring Attacks on Russian Oil Refineries**
Ukraine regularly launches long-range drone attacks on industrial and military facilities in Russia, including oil refineries. These targets fund and supply Moscow’s war machine, making them frequent targets of Ukrainian attacks. While Kyiv rarely claims official credit for its attacks on Russian refineries, the Ukrainian military confirmed that it struck the Rosneft refinery in Saratov Oblast in February 2025.
**Third Refinery to Cut Operations This Month**
The Saratov plant is the third Russian oil refinery to cut operations this month due to Ukrainian strikes. Russia’s Ryazan refinery halved its production and the Novokuibyshevsk refinery halted it completely on August 2 after drone attacks, according to Reuters.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com
