Drone Strikes Force Ryazan Refinery Owned by Rosneft to Halt Operations

Ryazan Refinery Suspends Activity Following Drone Assault

According to ХВИЛЯ: On September 6, 2024, the Ryazan oil refinery operated by Rosneft ceased operations due to a drone attack. The assault damaged two key primary oil processing units, CDU-6 and CDU-4. Notably, CDU-6, which has an annual capacity of 8 million tonnes of crude oil-approximately 160,000 barrels per day-caught fire during the incident. This unit alone accounts for nearly half of the refinery’s total processing capability.

Impact and History of Attacks

Located roughly 200 kilometers southeast of Moscow, the refinery plays a crucial role in supplying fuel to the capital. This latest strike is not the first: earlier in 2024, the facility experienced multiple drone attacks. On May 15, 2024, a similar assault caused a shutdown lasting until mid-July. Another attack on July 29 led to an additional 2-3 weeks of downtime. Additionally, CDU-3 has been offline for maintenance since mid-May 2024.

Throughout 2024, the Ryazan refinery processed 13.1 million tonnes of crude oil, representing about 4.9% of Russia’s total oil refining capacity. Its output includes:

• 2.2 million tonnes of gasoline
• 3.4 million tonnes of diesel fuel
• 4.3 million tonnes of fuel oil

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that "these attacks are designed to sow discord within Russia."

Rosneft has not responded to Reuters’ inquiry regarding the latest incident. Repairs to the damaged units are expected to take several weeks.

This event highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure amid escalating regional tensions. The refinery’s shutdown threatens fuel shortages in Moscow and its surrounding areas, potentially destabilizing the regional economy. Given the repeated attacks, it is clear that enhanced security measures for such strategic facilities are urgently needed.