Ukraine Hits Another Major Russian Oil Refinery, Further Curtails Production, Export

Ukraine is continuing its successful campaign to curtail Russian energy production and export, reducing Russia's fuel supply and the foreign currency it derives from oil exports. 

Even before this latest strike, the Kremlin was forced to halt oil exports because of the impact Ukrainian drone attacks were having on the availability and cost of fuel inside Russia. JL

Ukraine Pravda reports:

Lukoil, owner of a major oil refinery responsible for processing 5% of Russia's oil by volume at Kstovo in Nizhny Novgorod province, reported that the operation of the facility’s refining equipment had been suspended "due to the incident". Drones hit one of the distillation towers, which is the most crucial piece of equipment in the refining process. The fuel and energy complex caught fire as a result of the drone attacks.

A fire broke out at an oil refinery in Kstovo, a city in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, due to a drone attack on 12 March.

Source: Defence Express military portal 

Details: Meanwhile, a Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency TASS, citing representatives from owner Lukoil, reported that the operation of the facility’s refining equipment had been suspended "due to the incident". However, the news agency later stated that the news about the refinery's shutdown had been published mistakenly. The jury is therefore out as to the true operational status of the refinery.

The attack occurred around 05:30 local time when drones hit one of the distillation towers, which is the most crucial piece of equipment in the refining process.

Nizhny Novgorod Oblast Governor Gleb Nikitin stated on his Telegram that the fuel and energy complex caught fire as a result of drone attacks. He reported that there were no casualties. Emergency services are working at the scene to extinguish the fire.

Defence Express noted that the plant processed 5% of all Russian oil by volume.