Over 51% of Russia’s oil refining capacity is now out of action because of Ukrainian attacks, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reported on Oct. 4. Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara gave the figure in an update, citing analysts from Ukraine’s intelligence services, the ministry and the General Staff.
“This is the result of carefully planned, systematic, and comprehensive actions aimed at crippling the Russian war machine and destroying its military-economic potential,” Khmara said. He called the lost capacity “a significant blow to the enemy’s economy, to its ability to wage aggression, and to supply its military formations.”
Refineries on the list
The ministry’s report named recent attacks on refineries at Moscow, Yaroslavl, Kirishi, Perm, Ilsky, Saratov and Syzran. Kyiv treats refineries as valid military targets because they provide fuel and money to Russia’s armed forces. Over the past two years it has sharply stepped up its campaign against them, hitting oil and gas infrastructure in long-range strikes.
The new number is higher than the 45% drop in refining capacity that Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Sept. 21.
Moscow has responded by tightening information. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Sept. 28 that restricts access to data on the country’s oil refineries and energy exports.
Range and production
Ukrainian strike drones and missiles regularly reach targets more than 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled territory. On Sept. 9 the military announced a new record, when a Fire Point FP-1 drone hit a Russian gas facility 3,200 kilometers (1,988 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
The Defense Ministry said Ukraine tripled its production and procurement of long-range strike drones in 2026. “This is not the limit,” it said. “We will continue to scale up our long-range strike capabilities.”
