Operations at Russia's Kuibyshevsk oil refinery halted since August 28 following drone attacks, two sources say

Operations at Russia's Kuibyshevsk oil refinery halted since August 28 following drone attacks, two sources say

On August 28, Russia's Kuibyshevsk oil refinery in the Samara region and the Afipsky refinery in Krasnodar Krai were targeted by drone attacks, leading to significant disruptions in operations. Both facilities have been forced to halt production due to the damage sustained.

The Kuibyshevsk refinery, with an annual processing capacity of 7 million tons of oil, was attacked by Ukrainian unmanned systems forces. The refinery, which produces 2.5% of Russia's total oil volume, has been completely shut down since the attack. The Samara region's governor confirmed the attack and implemented temporary restrictions on airport operations and mobile internet services for safety reasons [1].

Meanwhile, the Afipsky refinery, located in the Krasnodar Territory, was also targeted. The refinery, which processes 6.25 million tons of oil annually, experienced a fire on its grounds due to debris from the drone strike. The fire was contained by 21 firefighters and eight pieces of specialized equipment. This marks the second attack on the facility since August 7 [2].

These attacks are part of a broader pattern of drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. Since the beginning of August, at least ten refineries have been targeted, leading to a 17% reduction in Russia's refining capacity, equivalent to about 1.1 million barrels of oil per day. The impact of these attacks is already visible, with fuel shortages reported in various regions and gasoline prices surging by 40–50% since the start of the year [1].

The Ukrainian Defense Forces, including unmanned systems and special forces, have been involved in the coordinated attacks. Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, confirmed the fires at the Afipsky and Kuibyshevsk refineries, emphasizing their critical role in sustaining Russia's wartime economy [1].

References:
[1] https://aeronaut.media/news-en/uavs-drones-news-en/en-oil-refineries-samara-krasnodar-krai/
[2] https://news.online.ua/en/new-bavovna-kuibyshev-and-afipsky-oil-refineries-on-fire-in-russia-video-896515/