Russian refineries
Coverage of Russian refineries in the Nexus archive.
- How Putin’s refinery dream became Ukraine’s target
Ukraine targeted Russian refineries as part of Putin’s refinery project, with damage still visible from space months after the strikes.
- Ukraine’s drone playbook is wreaking havoc in Russia — and upending where NATO wants to invest
Ukraine's drone strikes on Russian refineries are reshaping the war and prompting NATO to develop a $40 billion counter-drone plan. The strikes are disrupting Russian operations and influencing defense investment priorities.
- Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries are triggering shortages and rising discontent
Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries are causing fuel shortages and rising public discontent in Russia. A queue of cars waiting at a Moscow service station on June 24, 2026, exemplifies the resulting fuel access issues.
- Ukrainian Drones Hit 10 Russian Refineries in May, 6 Shut Down
Ukrainian forces conducted a drone campaign in May targeting Russian oil infrastructure, striking 10 major refineries with 6 forced to shut down. The attacks included hits on the Lukoil refinery in Kstovo and other strategic military targets including command posts and ammunition depots.
- Russia cuts economic forecast as war bites further
Russia has slashed its economic growth forecast from 1.3% to 0.4% due to ongoing war impacts, with businesses struggling under high debt burdens and defaults threatening a quarter of the bond market. High borrowing costs have hampered manufacturing and investment while failing to control inflation driven by massive military spending and labor shortages. Energy revenues have plummeted 40% year-on-year despite higher oil prices, due partly to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries.