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Putin Decries Discord-Sowing Attacks; NORSI Shuts After Drone Strike

6/27/2026

Center

Putin Warns Infrastructure Attacks

President Vladimir Putin warned in a televised address that attacks on civilian infrastructure aim to sow discord among Russians.
Russia’s fourth-largest refinery, NORSI, suspended operations on June 25 after the Ukrainian drone strike.
Lawmakers approved tax-code amendments permitting lower-quality fuel in gasoline and postponing refinery equipment upgrades.
The St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange stopped trading NORSI diesel and gasoline following the attack.

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Russia's Fuel Crisis

Russia’s domestic fuel subsidies are stretching the state budget while weekly pump prices continue to climb.
Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes have kept a Russian oil refinery offline, with operations not expected to resume until early 2027.
The scheme costs about 200 billion roubles monthly, yet pump prices rise roughly one percent weekly.
Officials refuse to insure plants, leaving firms to fund repairs amid sanctions delaying component imports.

History

Historical Context

In October 1973 OAPEC cut output and the Gulf Six raised crude prices 17%, prompting the U.S. under President Nixon to impose emergency price controls and the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act. Today, President Vladimir Putin cites Ukrainian drone damage to the NORSI refinery as Russia’s SPIMEX halts diesel trading while the state subsidizes fuel at about 200 billion roubles a month, echoing past energy-shock subsidies.

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Putin Warns Infrastructure Attacks

President Vladimir Putin warned in a televised address that attacks on civilian infrastructure aim to sow discord among Russians.
Russia’s fourth-largest refinery, NORSI, suspended operations on June 25 after the Ukrainian drone strike.
Lawmakers approved tax-code amendments permitting lower-quality fuel in gasoline and postponing refinery equipment upgrades.
The St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange stopped trading NORSI diesel and gasoline following the attack.

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