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Ukraine Claims Strikes Disrupted 51% of Russia's Oil Refining Capacity

2:11 AM ETConfirmed

World Desk

In Short: Ukraine's Defense Ministry announced Sunday that recent strikes on oil refineries in cities including Moscow, Yaroslavl, Ust-Luga, Perm, Saratov, and Syzran have put more than 51% of Russia's oil refining capacity out of action, significantly disrupting the economic infrastructure supporting Moscow's war effort.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Reuters that Ukrainian strikes would focus on facilities generating revenue for Russia’s war effort rather than civilian targets, emphasizing the systematic effort to undermine Russia's economic capabilities.

In response, Russia has intensified its own strikes, targeting an electrical substation in the Kharkiv region, as well as energy and port infrastructure and maritime vessels used by Ukraine's military.

According to the International Energy Agency, some of Russia's 32 refineries have been hit as many as 15 times since the start of the war, with one refinery hit every three days in recent months, creating a cycle of damage and emergency repairs that could degrade units long term.

Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 205 drones overnight into Monday, of which 172 were shot down or suppressed, indicating the ongoing aerial combat between the two nations.

Rescuers in Kharkiv found a body under debris of a sewing factory hit by a Russian airstrike, highlighting the human toll of the conflict.

Ukraine has launched repeated attacks on refineries from Moscow to Siberia, causing a widespread fuel crisis in Russia earlier this year that forced authorities to restrict gasoline sales.

The Ukrainian military stated that these strikes were a significant blow to Russia's economy and its ability to supply its troops, as confirmed by DT Next (India), PBS, and TheSpec.com.

President Vladimir Putin acknowledged in a rare admission that the strikes had cost Russia roughly 1% of its gross domestic product, indicating the economic impact of the attacks.

Ukraine's Presidential adviser Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov said on social media that 12 automated turrets had been installed in Kyiv to counter jet-powered Shahed drones, with more planned.

Air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat stated that artificial intelligence and machine vision are used for shootdowns, enabling engagement even with jet-powered drones.

Amid ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine's fuel infrastructure, diversifying supply routes and creating additional storage capacity outside attack-prone areas is crucial for market stability, according to WarpBeat.

What this adds

Background

What's confirmed

• Ukraine’s Defence Ministry says more than 51% of Russia’s oil refining capacity has been put out of action following a series of long-range strikes, describing the campaign as a systematic effort to disrupt the economic infrastructure supporting Moscow’s war effort.
• KYIV: Ukraine said that its long-range strikes have neutralised more than half of Russia's oil refining capacity, hampering Moscow's ability to supply its forces during its four-and-a-half-year-old invasion.
• The Defence Ministry said Sunday that recent strikes on refineries in cities including Moscow, Yaroslavl, Ust-Luga, Perm, Saratov and Syzran had put 51 per cent of Russia's oil refining capacity out of action.
• However, President Vladimir Putin said in a rare admission on October 1 that the strikes had cost Russia roughly 1 per cent of its gross domestic product.
• “Fifty-one percent of struck refining capacity is a significant blow to the enemy's economy, to its ability to carry out aggression and supply its troop groupings. Our deep strikes continue to bring the war to Russian territory,” he said.
• Some of Russia's 32 refineries have been hit as many as 15 times since the start of the war, and one refinery has been hit every three days in recent months, creating a cycle of damage and emergency repairs that could degrade units long term, according to the International Energy Agency.
• Russia's Defence Ministry said in a statement Monday that it had struck an electrical substation in the Kharkiv region, in addition to energy and port infrastructure and maritime vessels used by Ukraine's military.
• Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 205 drones overnight into Monday, of which 172 were shot down or suppressed.
• Ukraine has launched repeated attacks on refineries from Moscow to Siberia, sparking a widespread fuel crisis in Russia earlier this year that forced authorities to restrict gasoline sales.
• Rescuers carry the body of a killed person found under debris of a sewing factory which was hit by a Russian airstrike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine in Kharkiv, Ukraine October 5, 2026.
• “They started attacking oil refineries and openly declared the goal of damaging our economy. Did they achieve their goal. Partially,” Putin said at a meeting of the Valdai Club forum of international foreign policy experts.

What's still developing

• "There may be people under the rubble of the residential building that was hit. A search and rescue operation is underway," Terekhov wrote on his Telegram channel.

Sources

• Dtnextlink
• PBSlink
• Warpbeatlink
• Dailycorinthianlink
• Energynewsbeatlink
• Bozemandailychroniclelink
• Ottumwacourierlink
• Kdhnewslink
• Mymotherlodelink
• Breitbartlink
• Eaworldviewlink
• Abcnewslink
• WarpBeat — background on Ukraine Claims Strikes Put Half of Russia's Oil Refining Capacity Out of Action link
• WarpBeat — background on Ukraine Claims Strikes Put 51% of Russia's Oil Refining Capacity Out of Action link
• MIRROR NOW — video link