Orenburg region governor Yevgeny Solntsev confirmed the complete shutdown of the Orsknefteorgsintez refinery following a drone attack, saying that striking elements damaged key infrastructure that cannot currently be restored. He noted that the plant uses imported equipment and, given sanctions, repairs could take up to six months. The governor called on residents to prepare for "the worst-case scenario."
The region will have to rely on fuel brought in from elsewhere, and logistics are already being adjusted. Solntsev said that of 287 gas stations in the region, 80% are operating, with priority given to special vehicles. The situation at filling stations, he said, is "not easy everywhere, but manageable." Earlier, regional authorities reinstated a fuel sales limit of no more than 30 liters per person and sent police to monitor queues.
The Orsk plant is the only major refinery in the Orenburg region, producing about 600,000 tonnes of gasoline and nearly 2 million tonnes of diesel fuel annually. According to Reuters sources, both primary and secondary oil refining units were damaged. The attack occurred on August 10.
This is the fourth refinery halted since the beginning of the month. Previously, Sibur's ZapSibNeftekhim in the Tyumen region, Rosneft's Saratov refinery, and Lukoil's Volgograd refinery also stopped operations. Following the latest wave of Ukrainian drone strikes, fuel problems have resurfaced in at least 16 Russian regions, The Moscow Times reports.
Sources differ: Governor Solntsev says repairs could take up to six months due to the difficulty of replacing imported equipment. Meanwhile, The Moscow Times, citing Reuters, reports damage to primary and secondary processing units, also indicating serious destruction, but does not specify exact restoration timelines.