Full Breakdown
Moscow Oil Refinery Shut Down After Ukrainian Drone Strike
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On September 20 a Ukrainian drone raid ignited fires in both primary crude-distillation units of the Moscow Oil Refinery, a major plant owned by Gazprom Neft. The damage forced an immediate halt to crude-oil processing, and officials said repairs could take several weeks. The refinery’s output has not been offered for sale on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange since September 21.
Background & Context
The attack follows a series-of large-scale Ukrainian drone operations against Russian energy infrastructure that began on September 19, when Russian air defenses reported intercepting more than 1,600 drones nationwide, including roughly 450 aimed at Moscow. The Moscow refinery has been targeted previously, most recently in June 2026, highlighting its strategic importance as a key fuel supplier for the capital and surrounding regions.
Data & Statistics
- AVT-6 unit capacity: 21,400 metric tons per day (? 53 % of total primary capacity).
- EURO+ unit capacity: 18,800 metric tons per day (? 47 %).
- 2024 throughput: 11.6 million tons of crude oil (about 230,000 barrels per day).
- 2024 products: 2.9 million tons of gasoline, 3.2 million tons of diesel, and 1.3 million tons of bitumen.
- Casualties: Russian authorities reported three deaths and 20 injuries across the Moscow region.
- Evacuations: Approximately 400 residents, including 70 children, were moved from damaged apartment blocks.
Official Statements & Responses
- Sergei Sobyanin, Moscow mayor, posted on Telegram that an industrial facility on the refinery’s premises was damaged during the raid.
- Andrei Vorobyov, governor of the Moscow region, confirmed a 44-year-old woman was killed when a drone struck a three-story building in Sofyino and noted additional fatalities and injuries in nearby districts.
- Russian Ministry of Defense stated that forces destroyed 1,110 Ukrainian drones overnight, contributing to the overall interception count.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that long-range weapons and drones were used to strike the refinery, describing the target as a “key Russian oil industry facility.”
On-the-Ground Reports
Local witnesses reported hearing explosions and seeing thick smoke rising from the refinery’s southeast sector. Video footage shared online showed flames and dark plumes over the plant, corroborating the accounts of fires at both primary processing units.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The precise extent of structural damage to the refinery’s units was not disclosed by Russian authorities, leaving the timeline for full restoration uncertain.
- While industry sources estimate several weeks for repairs, no official repair schedule has been published.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Our long-range responses had a very significant impact in the Moscow region last night. One of Russia’s key oil industry facilities and the aggressor’s logistics facility were hit. These are billions of dollars that sustain the war machine. The systems used included FP-1, RZ-100, MICH-2000, Palianytsia, Vendetta, Liutyi, Bars, Flamingo, Sichen, and Pelican,” — Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ukrainian president
*The shutdown underscores the vulnerability of Russia’s fuel-processing network amid an intensified campaign of long-range drone and missile strikes.*