Ukraine Hits Another Russian Refinery as Fuel Crunch Worsens

Ukraine hit another Russian refinery this week, striking the Afipsky plant in the Krasnodar region overnight Monday in a campaign that has become almost routine and is steadily draining Russia's fuel supply. The 180,000 barrel per day facility caught fire after the drone strike, according to regional governor Veniamin Kondratiev, who reported the damage on Telegram Tuesday.

What Happened at Afipsky

At least 10 homes in the nearby village of Afipsky were damaged, and drone debris killed two people at a local railway station, Kondratiev said. The refinery is owned by ForteInvest, a privately held Russian company, and this was not its first brush with Ukrainian strikes. Ukraine hit the same plant last month, part of a broader effort to choke off fuel moving to Russian front lines and domestic consumers alike.

These attacks are no longer isolated events. Ukrainian forces have been launching drones at refineries scattered across Russian territory, some located more than 1,000 miles from the border, turning what was once a rare tactic into an almost nightly pattern.

Why Ukraine Keeps Hitting Russian Refineries

Since spring, Ukraine has escalated its drone campaign specifically to squeeze Russia's gasoline and diesel output, and the strategy appears to be working. Fuel shortages have spread across Russian regions, with rationing in place, gas stations in major cities running dry, and drivers lining up for hours to fill their tanks. The question of whether Ukraine is hitting Russian refineries has a clear answer this year: repeatedly, and with growing precision against facilities far from the front.

Russian officials have tried to project calm. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who oversees energy policy and Russia's role in OPEC+ negotiations, said Monday that some refineries have restarted operations following repairs, which he suggested should ease pressure on domestic fuel supply soon.

Ripple Effects on Global Fuel Markets

The damage extends beyond Russia's borders. Diesel and gasoil exports from Russia have collapsed this month to their lowest levels in years, partly because Moscow extended restrictions on diesel shipments abroad to keep more fuel at home. That pullback is compounding existing supply disruptions in the Middle East, tightening the global market for middle distillates such as diesel and heating oil.

How Much Territory Russia Controls in Ukraine

The refinery strikes are unfolding against the backdrop of a war where Russia has gradually expanded its footprint inside Ukraine since the 2022 invasion, though the front lines have shifted at various points and neither side has achieved a decisive breakthrough recently. Ukraine's refinery campaign represents one of the few areas where it has consistently imposed costs deep inside Russian territory, even as ground fighting continues to grind on elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much of Ukraine did Russia take?

Russian forces have occupied significant portions of eastern and southern Ukraine, including large parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, along with Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. The exact percentage shifts as fighting continues, but estimates have generally placed Russian controlled territory at roughly a fifth of Ukraine's internationally recognized land.

Is Ukraine hitting Russian refineries?

Yes. Ukraine has carried out near daily drone strikes on Russian refineries since spring, including the recent attack on the Afipsky plant in Krasnodar, as part of a sustained campaign to disrupt Russia's fuel production and exports.