UKRAINIAN STRIKE HALTS OIL PROCESSING AT MOSCOW REFINERY
The consequences of Ukraine’s September 20 attack on Moscow are considerably greater than the initial footage suggested.
The Moscow Oil Refinery has halted crude-oil processing after fires damaged both of its principal processing units, according to three industry sources cited by Reuters. Repairs could take several weeks.
The AVT-6 unit accounts for approximately 53% of the refinery’s capacity, while the EURO+ complex provides the remainder. With both affected, the refinery has effectively lost its primary processing capability..
Together, the units can process approximately 40,000 tonnes of crude oil each day. In 2024, the refinery processed 11.6 million tonnes of oil and produced approximately 2.9 million tonnes of gasoline, 3.2 million tonnes of diesel and 1.3 million tonnes of bitumen.
The facility has also stopped offering fuel for sale on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange since September 21—another indication that this is an operational shutdown, not simply cosmetic damage.
This refinery is particularly important because it directly supports the fuel market surrounding Russia’s capital. Moscow can redirect supplies from other regions and draw upon stored fuel, but doing so places additional pressure on a refining and distribution system already strained by repeated Ukrainian strikes.
Every day the refinery remains offline means less domestic gasoline and diesel production, greater logistical costs and more competition for fuel produced elsewhere in Russia.
The flames were visible on the morning of the attack. The more important consequence is now becoming visible inside Russia’s fuel system: one of the country’s most important refineries is no longer processing oil.