Ukraine and Russia Target Each Other's Fuel Infrastructure

Ukraine and Russia are engaged in a reciprocal campaign of attacks targeting fuel production and distribution infrastructure. On August 27, a fire broke out at Russia's NORSI oil refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, following reports of a drone attack. The facility, operated by Lukoil, is Russia's fourth largest oil refinery and second largest gasoline producer. It is located approximately 800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Ukraine has targeted this refinery multiple times in 2026, including strikes in April, May, June, and July, as part of a broader effort to disrupt the funding and fueling of the Russian war effort.

Simultaneously, Russia has targeted civilian petrol stations across Ukraine. According to an analyst with the Ukrainian energy think tank Nafto Rynok, Russia has hit at least 246 filling stations. In July alone, the Centre for Information Resilience verified 114 Russian strikes on filling stations, an increase from 66 in the previous month. These attacks have utilized both small remote controlled drones and larger Iranian made Shahed drones. In some areas, such as the town of Trostyanets and the road between Kharkiv and Dnipro, petrol stations have been entirely destroyed. Local officials in Kharkiv and the Dnipropetrovsk region have urged motorists to abandon their vehicles during air raid alerts to avoid casualties.