Ukraine strikes five top Russian refineries in two weeks

Ukrainian forces have struck the five largest oil refineries in Russia since October 30, according to a confirmation released by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The confirmed targets include the Omsk, Kirishi, Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod, and Yaroslavl facilities.

The campaign has also hit smaller but critical sites, including the Novokuybyshevsk and Saratov refineries. The General Staff stated that these attacks are part of a systematic effort to disable Russia's oil refining capacity. This approach aims to reduce the fuel available to the Russian army while simultaneously cutting the revenue stream used to finance the war.

Specific damage has been verified at the Kirishi refinery in Leningrad Oblast, which was hit on the night of November 8 and 9. This facility has an installed capacity of approximately 20 million tonnes of oil per year, representing more than 6% of Russia's total refining output. The strike damaged the atmospheric distillation unit, the crude oil primary processing unit, and two cooling units.

The Saratov Oil Refinery was struck earlier on November 7. This plant processes about seven million tonnes of oil annually and serves the military-industrial complex. The attack damaged the facility's only primary oil processing unit, the AVT-6, along with two fuel hydrotreatment units, pipelines, and a 10,000-cubic-metre storage tank that caught fire. The refinery has since suspended operations.

A fire also broke out on November 11 at a major Russian refinery that supplies fuel for the war. The General Staff noted that distance no longer offers protection to Russian infrastructure, whether located in Siberia or closer to the border. The strikes exercise the right to self-defence guaranteed by Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The General Staff said the defence forces will continue to take systematic measures to compel Russia to end its armed aggression. The confirmed strikes demonstrate that Ukrainian soldiers can reach enemy targets wherever they build their war machine. The focus remains on hitting primary oil processing units to directly impact military logistics and state finances.