Russia’s Tuapse oil refinery, primarily focused on exports, ceased operations after a Ukrainian drone strike on April 16, according to industry sources. This attack is part of Ukraine’s broader strategy to target Russian energy infrastructure amid shifting U.S. priorities, which now include addressing the conflict in Iran. The U.S. has also relaxed some sanctions on Russian oil to mitigate supply disruptions in the Gulf.
The drone strikes on April 16 and April 20 resulted in significant damage to Tuapse’s transport infrastructure and caused fires at oil product storage facilities. Sources, who spoke anonymously, indicated that the refinery’s operations were halted due to the inability to ship products, but they did not specify when production might resume.
Rosneft, the refinery’s owner, has not commented on the situation. The Tuapse facility has a production capacity of approximately 12 million metric tons per year, equating to around 240,000 barrels per day, and produces various products including naphtha, diesel, fuel oil, and vacuum gasoil.
