Moscow oil refinery halts operations after Ukrainian drone strike

The Moscow Oil Refinery, owned by Gazprom Neft, has completely halted operations following a major Ukrainian drone strike on September 20, 2026. The attack ignited fires at both primary crude distillation units, the AVT-6 and Euro+ complex, which together process 11.6 million tons of crude annually. Industry sources report that repairs could take several weeks, and fuel from the plant has been withdrawn from the St. Petersburg exchange. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the strike, framing it as a direct hit on the financial and logistical machinery sustaining Russia's war effort.

Moscow Oil Refinery drone strike

• ▪The September 20, 2026 Ukrainian drone strike caused fires at both primary crude oil distillation units at the Moscow Oil Refinery, including the AVT-6 unit and the Euro+ complex
• ▪Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin acknowledged on Telegram that an industrial facility on the Moscow Oil Refinery's premises was damaged during the September 20, 2026 drone raid on Moscow
• ▪The Moscow Oil Refinery, owned by Gazprom Neft, completely halted crude oil processing after a Ukrainian drone strike on September 20, 2026.

Ukrainian long-range refinery campaign

• ▪The drone strike on the Moscow Oil Refinery was part of a broader campaign that also hit refineries in Yaroslavl and Samara oblasts since September 14, 2026.
• ▪The Ukrainian General Staff reported on September 21, 2026, that Ukraine's long-range strike campaign has knocked out 45% of Russia's total oil refining capacity.
• ▪Long-range drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine's Alpha Special Operations Center traveled over 500 kilometers to penetrate Moscow's air defenses.

Refinery production shutdown

• ▪Repairing the damage from the September 20, 2026 drone strike to the Moscow Oil Refinery and restoring its operations could take several weeks, according to three industry sources
• ▪Fuel produced by the Moscow Oil Refinery has not been offered for sale on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange since September 21, 2026.
• ▪The Moscow Oil Refinery's AVT-6 unit has a capacity of 21,400 metric tons per day (53% of total capacity), while the Euro+ unit has a capacity of 18,800 metric tons per day (47%).

Russia fuel supply shortage

• ▪The Ukrainian General Staff stated that Ukraine's drone strikes on the Moscow Oil Refinery have caused a shortage of high-quality fuel and a sharp decline in Euro-5/K5 standard gasoline and diesel production in Russia
• ▪The Moscow Oil Refinery processed 11.6 million metric tons of crude oil in 2024, producing 2.9 million tons of gasoline, 3.2 million tons of diesel, and 1.3 million tons of bitumen.
• ▪The Moscow Oil Refinery supplies approximately 35% to 40% of Moscow's fuel needs and up to 70% of the gasoline and aviation kerosene consumed in the wider Moscow region.

Zelensky war infrastructure targeting

• ▪Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the targeted facilities represent billions of dollars sustaining the Russian war effort and urged Moscow to choose peace and de-escalation.
• ▪President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the September 20, 2026 strikes on Moscow, stating that Ukrainian long-range weapons targeted key oil industry and logistics facilities supporting Russia's war effort