Moscow, Russia. A Ukrainian drone attack damaged a facility and caused a fire at the largest refinery in the Moscow region on Tuesday, while oil producer Tatneft announced nationwide fuel purchase caps. The developments point to the widening impact of Kyiv’s campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure.
Refinery strike and response
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the Gazprom Neft refinery was hit from a distance of 500 km, underscoring the reach of Ukraine’s long-range strikes.
“This is a just response to Russian strikes – and to the dragging out of a war that must be ended,” he said on X.
Local emergency services said the fire at the refinery had been extinguished and had not affected operations. Earlier, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said a facility at the site had been damaged, without providing further details.
Gazprom Neft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Impact on fuel production
Ukraine has sought to target a key source of Russia’s war funding through attacks on refineries. According to official data, social media and Reuters calculations, such attacks have doubled since the start of 2026, contributing to full or partial shutdowns of oil processing and lower output of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
The plant, which has been targeted multiple times, processed 11.6 million tons of oil in 2024 and produced 2.9 million tons of petrol and 3.2 million tons of diesel, according to the latest available data.
Fuel supply pressures
Around a dozen Russian regions have experienced some fuel supply disruptions in recent weeks, though central authorities have described the problems as localised bottlenecks.
Recent long lines for gasoline in Russian-controlled Crimea and the southern Krasnodar region have highlighted the domestic effects of Ukraine’s strikes.
On Tuesday, Tatneft said it was introducing restrictions on fuel purchases at its hundreds of stations across Russia, becoming the first retailer to impose nationwide caps.
