November 01, 2026
Over the past three days, Ukrainian military forces have attacked three Russian oil refineries, which together account for approximately 10% of Russia’s oil refining capacity, according to the Ukrainian Telegram channel Dnipro Osint.
Specifically, the Kstovo and Novokuibyshevsk oil refineries, as well as the Bashneft-Novoil facility, were targeted. Together, they have an annual capacity of about 33 million tons of oil.
According to Dnipro Osint, the attacks are extensive in scale: a single strike can disable multiple processing units simultaneously. This includes both primary oil refining equipment and secondary processing units.
The channel notes that this marks the end of the so-called “energy ceasefire.” For two weeks, Ukraine had refrained from striking Russian oil refineries at the request of the US administration.
At the same time, analysts emphasize that Russia has not ceased its attacks on Ukraine. Russian Geran drones and missiles have continued to strike, resulting in civilian casualties and leaving Ukrainians without electricity, water, and heating.
Recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries
On the night of October 30, drones attacked the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in the Samara region of Russia. Following the strike, a fire broke out on the facility’s premises.
The plant, which is part of the Rosneft group, has a capacity of approximately 8.8 million tons of oil per year and produces, among other things, jet fuel for the Russian aviation sector.
On the night of October 31, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) attacked an industrial zone in Ufa, where the Bashneft-Novoil plant is located. Its primary oil refining capacity is approximately 7 million tons per year.
The following night, on November 1, the Kstovo oil refinery in the Nizhny Novgorod region was targeted. A massive fire broke out at the facility following the attack.
The plant is one of the largest in Russia, with a designed capacity of approximately 17 million tons of oil per year.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/ukraine-disabled-10-of-russia-s-oil-refining-1793544918.html
In previous attacks on mafia refineries, Ukraine took much longer to reach this level of destruction. Either their tactics have improved, the ruskie air defenses are getting worse, the Ukrainians have more assets, or they have better weapons. Maybe it’s a little bit of everything.
Explained in your post, “Ukraine has changed its tactics for striking Russian oil refineries: a strong move, both physically and media-wise.”