Tyumen Governor Aleksandr Moor stated that air defenses repelled the drones and argued the plant suffered no major damage, though independent monitoring groups and local residents reported hearing massive explosions followed by heavy plumes of smoke over the facility. The processing plant—one of Russia’s most modern private refineries—handles roughly 151,000 barrels of crude oil per day and serves as an indispensable fuel source for Russia’s domestic market and military logistics, News.Az reports, citing RBC-Ukraine.
The record-breaking raid strikes at the heart of a worsening Russian domestic energy crisis. Following systemic Ukrainian drone hits on major processing facilities—including a devastating double-strike on the primary Moscow refinery in Kapotnya earlier this week—Russia’s overall oil refining capacity has plummeted this month to its lowest operational level in 20 years.
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The nationwide supply squeeze has triggered acute gasoline shortages across several southern Russian regions, forced Ural regional airports to temporarily pause flights, and driven up retail fuel prices in the capital. To manage dwindling fuel reserves, the Kremlin has lowered environmental fuel standards to maximize output, while major retail networks like Tatneft have begun rationing fuel sales to a maximum of 30 liters per customer.
