Moscow refinery unlikely to resume operations this year after drone strikes, Reuters says
The Moscow oil refinery is unlikely to resume operations for at least another six months following Ukrainian drone attacks.
Source: Reuters, citing sources
Details: The refinery, located on the southern outskirts of Moscow, is the largest fuel supplier in the region. It was attacked twice by Ukrainian drones in June, forcing it to completely halt operations.
"It will take at least half a year to repair," one of the sources said, commenting on the damage to the Moscow oil refinery.
Reuters added that Ukrainian strikes have disabled a significant portion of Russia's oil refining capacity, causing fuel shortages, rising fuel prices and long queues at petrol stations.
Background:
- On the night of 17-18 June, Ukrainian drones struck the Moscow Oil Refinery in Kapotnya, causing a major fire.
- Ukrainian drones had already attacked the refinery a few days earlier, on 16 June. The strike damaged the ELOU-AVT-6 primary oil processing unit, forcing the facility to temporarily suspend operations.
- The refinery is located just 15 km from the Kremlin and is a critical part of Moscow's fuel infrastructure. It supplies around 40% of the Moscow region's petrol needs and 50% of its diesel needs, as well as aviation fuel for military purposes.
- Meanwhile, Moscow has already begun experiencing petrol shortages, with petrol and diesel prices at some privately owned filling stations rising by more than RUB 10 (around US$0.13) per litre.
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