Ukraine says half of Russia's major oil refineries are offline
Ukrainian intelligence reports that 15 of 38 key Russian refineries are inoperable, causing a 55.4% drop in total refining volumes since the start of 2026.
By Marco Alvarez ·
Ukrainian military intelligence assessed the status of Russia's energy infrastructure in late September 2026. The assessment revealed that 15 of the country's 38 main oil refineries were inoperable. An additional 12 facilities reported reduced output. This decline in activity drove total refining volumes down by 55.4% compared to the beginning of the year.
The heaviest impact fell on the Volga, Central, and Southern federal districts. Key facilities in these regions, including Slavneft-YANOS, Kirishineftegazsintez, Ryazan Oil Refinery, Gazpromneft-Moscow Oil Refinery, and Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez, suffered significant capacity losses. Together, these companies represent roughly 33% of Russia's total oil refining volume.
Refineries in remote areas continue to operate. These include the Gazpromneft-Omsk, Achinsk, Neftekhimservis, NNK-Khabarovsk, Mariysky, and Vaninsky facilities. In September 2026, these remote plants processed 906,000 barrels per day. That volume was 147,000 barrels higher than at the start of the year, accounting for about 24% of national refining.
Ukrainian officials state that the Kremlin uses these remote plants to temporarily offset fuel shortages. However, the intelligence agency notes that geographical constraints limit this strategy. Delivery of oil products is hampered by a shortage of railway rolling stock and road tankers.
Data from the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine suggests production at these surviving refineries may fall in 2027. The agency attributes this potential drop to maintenance work that was postponed from 2026 to the following year.
The intelligence report valued the damage to the Russian oil sector at $23.2 billion. This figure nearly matches the industry's total 2025 revenue of $26.6 billion. The report states that Russia can no longer fully meet domestic demand while fulfilling export commitments. It also notes that Russia has begun importing fuel through 'grey schemes' to bypass international sanctions.
