Ukraine knocks out 15 Russian oil refineries, causing $23.2 billion in damage: officials

Kyiv’s airstrikes have knocked 15 of Russia’s 38 major oil refineries out of operation — causing more than $23.2 billion in economic damage, Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) agency said Thursday.Just 12 refineries are running at reduced capacity following the precision strikes, which wiped out nearly all of Moscow’s oil sector income from 2025, the HUR estimated.The agency specifically cited five facilities that were hit as of September, including the massive  Ryazan Oil Refining Company, with those refineries accounting for 33% of Russia’s total volumes.The strikes have effectively cut Russia’s processing volumes by 55.4% compared to the beginning of the year, Kyiv added.

The attacks have served as a major headache for Moscow, which relies on its oil to fund its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.The refinery attacks have also led to a gas shortage in various Russian regions, including the annexed Crimea, with more citizens feeling the pain in their wallets over the ongoing war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated that he would be open to stopping the repeated strikes on Russian oil refineries if the Kremlin halts its attacks on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure.Moscow has refused to comply, with Zelensky telling world leaders on Thursday that Russian suicide drones continue to hit his country’s critical infrastructure.“Russians are using Shahed drones and missiles to hit even the energy equipment that our nuclear power plants depend on,” Zelensky said in his address at the Ibero-American Summit.

“Every power plant in Ukraine has been damaged in one way or another by Russian attacks.”Ukraine and Russia continue to trade attacks, with Moscow bombing a postal logistics hub of Nova Poshta, Ukraine’s largest private delivery company, according to the Kremlin.The Russians also hit a power substation in the Dnipropetrovsk and a cargo ship in the Black Sea, the Kremlin said.Meanwhile, Ukrainian drone strikes set off fires in an...