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Russia’s Kuibyshev oil refinery lost half of its capacity after the last drone attack – Reuters

The refinery was responsible for 1.34% of Russia’s total oil refining capacity, having processed 3.687 million tons of crude oil last year. It was among at least nine refineries hit by Ukraine’s drones.

byBohdan Ben

25/03/2024

2 minute read

Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast

Heavy fire started at the oil refinery in Novokuibyshevsk in Russia’s Samara Oblast after locals heared explosions on 23 March 2024. Source: Telegram channel Gorod Novokuibyshevsk

Russia’s Kuibyshev oil refinery lost half of its capacity after the last drone attack – Reuters

Ukraine conducted at least two successful drone strikes targeting the Kuibyshev oil refinery on 16 March and 23 March 2024.

According to Reuters, the refinery has halted one of its two primary refining units following a drone attack over the weekend. According to industry sources cited by the outlet, the attack knocked out half of the refinery’s capacity.

Samara regional Governor Dmitry Azarov reported that a fire broke out at the refinery after a Ukrainian drone attacked it on the morning of 23 March 2024. The blaze engulfed the primary oil refining unit, known as CDU-5, which has a production capacity of 70,000 barrels per day.

Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian oil infrastructure since the beginning of the year, targeting at least ten large refineries, some several times, to cripple Russia’s fuel revenue spent on the military and direct fuel supplies for the army.

Meet “Liutyi,” Ukraine’s homegrown drone behind strikes on Russian oil refineries

According to Reuters estimates, Russian oil refining capacity that was shut down in the first quarter due to Ukrainian drone attacks amounts to at least 4.6 million tons (370,500 barrels per day), or some 7% of the total.

On 23 March, a fire broke out at the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Samara Oblast after explosions, likely from a drone strike
On 17 March, drones struck the Slavyansk oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai.
On 16 March, drones hit three oil refineries in Russia’s Samara Oblast.
On 15 March, suicide drones attacked an oil refinery in Russia’s Kaluga oblast.
On 13 March, drones hit an oil refinery in Ryazan.
On 12 March, Ukraine carried out a coordinated drone offensive, hitting and damaging at least two Russian oil assets – a refinery in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and a fuel depot in Oryol.
On 6 March, an oil depot in Kursk came under drone attack.
On 14 February, a Kursk oil depot was ablaze after a drone strike.
On 9 February, kamikaze drones targeted oil facilities in two Russian regions, hitting the Ilsky and Afipsky oil refineries in the Krasnodar region and an oil depot in the Oryol region, causing a severe fire at the Ilsky refinery and damaging a primary processing unit valued.
On 3 February, residents of Volgograd, Russia, reported two explosions, with the Governor stating that Russian air defense units allegedly intercepted drones targeting an oil refinery.
A vacuum distillation column at an oil refinery caught fire in Russia’s Tuapse City overnight on 25 January.
On 18 January, Ukrainian drones attacked an oil depot in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg.
On 31 January, a drone hit an oil refinery in St. Petersburg.
On 18 January, Ukrainian drones attacked an oil depot in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg.

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