Russia Hit by Gas Shortages as Drones Attack Its Biggest Black Sea Refinery

A drone strike blamed on Ukraine has damaged another oil refinery in Russia amid concerns that continued strikes on the country's energy infrastructure will impact gas prices at the pump for Russian drivers.

In the latest Ukrainian drone barrage, over 75 of the devices targeted multiple Russian regions overnight Sunday and Monday morning, according to Russian officials.

Among the targets was the Tuapse refinery—Russia's biggest on the Black Sea, where local authorities said a fire was sparked by debris from a drone that was shot down.

Often without directly claiming responsibility, Ukraine has stepped up drone strikes on energy infrastructure within Russia with the aim of cutting off supplies and funding for Moscow's war machine.

While Russia still generates profits from oil despite sanctions against the resource, continued Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries prompted a government ban on gasoline exports between March and July to safeguard price stability.

This was extended to August and last week, Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Agency said it may reinstate the ban amid concerns about prices at the pump, in particular about shortages of Ai-95-rated gasoline, preferred by newer car engines.

Last week, Russia's deputy prime minister Alexander Novak referred to difficulties with Ai-95 and said that the export ban could be reimposed after August 1, if "the situation gets tense," regarding gasoline supplies, according to Reuters.

Monday's attack on Tuapse was carried out by Ukraine's military intelligence service (HUR), the Kyiv Independent reported, citing an unnamed agency source.

A drone over the site was detected around 3.30 a.m. and Russian air defenses tried to shoot down four kamikaze drones at once, Ukrainian media reported. Around 6.25 a.m. at least two more powerful explosions were heard in the area of ​​the refinery after it was hit by at least eight drones, according to reports.

Russia's SHOT and Mash Telegram news channels said that blasts were heard near the refinery and video shared on social media purported to show the moment of impact on the facility which is owned by Russian oil major Rosneft.

"Full view of the drone hitting an oil refinery in Tuapse, Krasnodar region of Russia," posted Ukrainian internal affairs adviser Anton Gerashchenko on X next to a clip of the purported strike, "impressive." Russian Telegram channels said the attack also started a fire near the Morozovsk air base in Rostov Oblast.

Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries for comment.

The plant at Tuapse had been targeted by Ukraine before. It has a processing capacity of 240,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil and supplies fuel mainly to Turkey, China, Malaysia and Singapore, Reuters reported.

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