MOSCOW — Since January 2024, Ukraine has carried out at least 13 confirmed drone strikes against Russian oil refineries and fuel depots, according to open-source tracking of the campaign. The attacks have targeted facilities across western Russia, the Volga region, and even deep into the country’s interior, with the apparent aim of disrupting fuel exports and military logistics. The first confirmed strike came on January 18, 2024, when Ukrainian drones hit the Ust-Luga oil terminal in Leningrad Oblast.
Three days later, on January 21, the Tuapse Refinery in Krasnodar Krai was struck. The Volgograd Refinery followed on February 3.
March 12 saw a coordinated wave of attacks on three refineries simultaneously: Ryazan, Kstovo, and Kirishi. The campaign’s longest-range strike came on April 2, when a drone hit the Taneco Refinery in Tatarstan, approximately 1,200 kilometers from Ukrainian territory. On May 9, the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat Refinery in Bashkortostan was attacked.
The Omsk Refinery was struck on September 7. According to satellite imagery analysis by the Kyiv School of Economics, these strikes have reduced Russia’s refining capacity by an estimated 10-15% in the first half of 2024.
The figure, based on visible damage and production halts, reflects a significant but not crippling blow to the sector. The targeting pattern suggests a deliberate strategy to degrade Russia’s ability to process crude oil into refined products for both domestic consumption and export markets. By hitting refineries far from the front lines, Ukrainian forces have demonstrated a reach that complicates Russian air-defense planning.
Officials in Moscow have acknowledged the attacks but have not provided a comprehensive damage assessment. Russia has repaired some damaged facilities quickly, limiting the duration of production outages at several sites. Still, the cumulative effect of repeated strikes has forced some facilities to operate at reduced capacity for extended periods.
The campaign has imposed additional costs on Russia’s energy sector, which is already under Western sanctions. Disruptions to refining capacity can affect fuel supplies for military vehicles and aircraft, though Russia’s substantial crude oil exports have continued largely unimpeded.
The strikes also carry a psychological dimension, bringing the war to industrial cities that had previously felt insulated from direct conflict. Looking ahead, the trajectory of the campaign will depend on Ukraine’s ability to sustain long-range drone operations and Russia’s capacity to harden its defenses and accelerate repairs. The record shows that each successive wave has pushed deeper into Russian territory, a trend that could continue as both sides adapt their tactics.
