One of Russia's largest refineries has halted its main unit. The Kirishinefteorgsintez, located in Leningrad Oblast, has shut down its main crude distillation unit, CDU-6, after a Ukrainian drone strike and subsequent fire, Reuters reported, citing industry sources.

Third attack this year: fire hits key Russian energy infrastructure

On 4 October, Ukraine’s Defense Forces attacked the Kirishinefteorgsintez refinery for the third time this year. The plant is a strategic asset of Russia’s energy sector, with a processing capacity of 20.1 million tons of crude oil per year. In 2024, it processed 17.5 million tons, accounting for 6.6% of Russia’s total oil output.

The facility produces gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, fuel oil, and bitumen, making its shutdown a blow to Russia’s energy security.

CDU-6 shutdown: a hit to the refinery’s core production

According to Reuters sources, repairs to the CDU-6 unit may take about a month. The installation has a capacity of 8 million tons per year or 160,000 barrels per day, which is about 40% of the plant’s total processing volume.

The refinery will continue operating at only 70% capacity, relying on other units that will now have to run beyond their normal load.

Russia’s fuel crisis deepens

The shutdown of CDU-6 could further reduce Russia’s fuel production amid an already worsening domestic fuel crisis. The refinery, controlled by Surgutneftegaz, is also attempting to repair another unit damaged in a previous drone strike in September.

As of August 2025, Ukraine disabled 17% of Russia’s oil refining capacity through a wave of drone strikes. Ukraine’s strikes have taken out 1.1 million barrels per day of Russian oil refining capacity. The drones targeted 10 plants, including Lukoil’s Volgograd refinery and Rosneft’s facility in Ryazan. Other damaged refineries include those in Rostov, Samara, Saratov, and Krasnodar oblasts.