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Russia's Orsk Oil Refinery Shuts After Ukrainian Drone Strike as Diesel Exports Drop to Multi-Year Low

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An oil refinery in the Russian city of Orsk was forced to shut down after being struck by a Ukrainian drone on Tuesday, with repairs expected to take up to six months, according to a Telegram post by Evgeny Solntsev, the governor of Orenburg Oblast.

Solntsev, who described the incident as a "terrorist" attack, said shrapnel struck critical infrastructure that could not be immediately repaired because of equipment requirements and sanctions imposed on the country.

He said that the government was preparing for the "worst-case scenario" of having to rely on imported fuel being brought in from outside, while noting that of the 287 gas stations in the region, 80% were still operational, with emergency transport being prioritized.

Solntsev also noted that volunteers and traffic police officers were helping manage the traffic at gas stations, while appealing for drivers to remain patient.

Meanwhile, Russian diesel exports dropped to a fresh multi-year low in early August, as Moscow continued to grapple with Kyiv's relentless attacks against its refineries, according to a report by Bloomberg, citing data from Vortexa.

Diesel and gasoil exports dropped to just 80,000 barrels a day during the first week of August, compared to 1 million barrels per day during the same period last year.

This comes amid the Kremlin's ban on diesel exports in early July, which was later extended through September 1, even as exports of other refined fuels, such as fuel oil and naphtha, at 1.3 million barrels a day, up 33% since July, helped lift Moscow's overall oil product exports.

According to the International Energy Agency's July 2026 report, Russia's crude oil throughput was 3.9 million barrels per day during the month, its lowest in over two decades, amid attacks on its energy infrastructure.

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