Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and ports have set the aggressor country's refining industry back to December 2009 levels. This is reported by UNN with reference to the Institute for the Study of War.
Details
ISW analysts noted that the Ukrainian Defense Forces' strikes on Russia's oil infrastructure have reduced the average production level of the aggressor state's refineries to its lowest level in over 16 years.
At the same time, in late April 2026, Bloomberg, citing data from the analytical company OilX, reported that the average refining level of Russian refineries fell to 4.69 million barrels per day. This is the lowest daily refining figure since December 2009.
This decline in refining levels occurred against the backdrop of a noticeable intensification of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil industry facilities in March and April 2026.
Additional Information
On Thursday, April 30, explosions occurred at the oil distillation unit of the Lukoil plant in Perm, Russia. At that time, videos began circulating online showing a large white column of smoke resembling a mushroom. Due to the explosion, an evacuation of school students in the city's industrial district was announced.
Subsequently, the Security Service of Ukraine confirmed the strike on the AVT-4 unit and a column at the Lukoil refinery in Perm, Russia, 1,500 km from the border with Ukraine.