【All major oil refineries of Lukoil within Russia have completely shut down, involving a refining capacity of 66 million tons】
On August 26, Ukrainian forces attacked Lukoil’s last remaining large-scale refinery—the NORSI Refinery located in Nizhny Novgorod, also known as the Nizhny Novgorod Oil and Organic Synthesis Plant. This facility is Russia's fourth-largest refinery, with an annual crude oil processing capacity exceeding 15 million tons and is also the country’s second-largest gasoline production base. The attack caused severe damage to multiple core processing units and supporting facilities, directly interrupting the plant’s external supply of refined petroleum products.
With this incident, combined with the previously damaged Perm Refinery (Russia’s seventh-largest) that ceased operations after an attack on August 21, and the Volgograd Refinery which halted operations on July 31, all major oil refineries operated by Lukoil within Russia have now fully stopped functioning, collectively accounting for a total annual crude oil refining capacity of up to 66 million tons.
According to statistics, since the beginning of 2026, Ukraine has launched over 70 drone attacks targeting Russian oil refineries, leading to the paralysis of approximately half of Russia’s refining capacity. In July, Russia’s daily refining output dropped to 3.6 million barrels per day—the lowest level since 2002.
By late August, more than 70% of gas stations across Russia were unable to provide gasoline, and about 80% had stopped selling 95-octane fuel. In major cities like Moscow, long queues formed at gas stations with people waiting for hours or even overnight due to fuel shortages. Local governments were forced to implement fuel rationing and purchase limits—for example, restricting purchases to 30 liters per transaction—and some introduced fueling restrictions based on license plate numbers. As a result, the Russian government had to re-allow the production and sale of low-standard gasoline (Euro 2/Euro 3), previously banned years ago, causing extensive engine damage among vehicle owners.
As a major oil-producing nation, Russia is now compelled to import refined petroleum products at high prices from countries such as India, Morocco, and Belarus—finding itself in the awkward situation of “selling crude oil while buying gasoline” to cope with the crisis.
This energy crisis has not only severely impacted ordinary Russians but also poses a fatal threat to the Russian military’s logistical support. Frontline armored units, aircraft, and transport vehicles are highly dependent on a steady supply of refined fuels; the collapse of domestic refining capacity directly extends the logistical supply lines of the Russian armed forces and undermines their ability to launch large-scale offensives. Furthermore, fuel shortages have triggered disruptions in logistics, soaring inflation, and reduced military spending, continuously eroding Russia’s wartime economic foundation and public support for the war effort.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874647431389184/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.