Ukrainian drone attack brings Lukoil's Perm refinery to a complete halt

Complete shutdown at Perm refinery

According to ХВИЛЯ: The Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez refinery in Perm has ceased all operations following a Ukrainian drone attack on August 21. The strike sparked a fire, causing damage to processing equipment. The CDU-4 and CDU-5 units, which together handle roughly three-quarters of the plant's refining capacity, have been shut down. Preliminary assessments suggest repairs could take one to two weeks.

Role in Russia's fuel market

This refinery ranks seventh in Russia by processing volumes. The CDU-4 unit went offline on August 21, accounting for nearly 40% of the plant's capacity and capable of processing 14,000 tonnes of crude daily. The CDU-5 unit, idle since July 29 after a previous drone strike, represents 34% of capacity. The plant also has CDU-1 and CDU-2 units, each accounting for 14% of capacity.

The plant lies 1,460 kilometers northeast of Moscow. In 2024, it processed about 12.6 million tonnes of crude, equivalent to 252,000 barrels per day. Its 2024 output included:

• 2 million tonnes of gasoline,
• 5.3 million tonnes of diesel fuel,
• 200 thousand tonnes of fuel oil,
• 700 thousand tonnes of petroleum coke.

Lukoil, which controls the refinery, did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the refinery in Perm was struck.

Numerous Russian regions have reported fuel shortages as a result of the strikes and seasonal demand.

The halt at Perm has serious implications for Russia's fuel supply, as the plant meets a significant share of regional demand. With seasonal consumption still high, shortages could drive up prices and limit access to fuel across parts of the country. The refinery's role underscores how vulnerable Russia's fuel-market stability is to attacks on critical energy infrastructure. This strike is part of a broader campaign of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil facilities.

The recent drone strike on Lukoil's refinery highlights a broader pattern of attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure. For further insights into how these operations are impacting fuel supply across the nation, you can read more about the assault on one of Russia's largest oil refineries, located over 1,500 km from the front lines, in our detailed report here.