Major Russian oil refinery in flames after drone strike, locals say
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A fire broke out at Russia’s NORSI oil refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, overnight on Aug. 27 following reports of a drone attack, according to local Telegram channels and footage posted online.
The Lukoil refinery is one of the most important oil processing and gasoline production facilities in Russia.
Before reports of the fire emerged, residents in the Kstovo area reported an air raid alert and drones overhead. Soon after, monitoring channels began posting photos and videos from locals of flames engulfing the refinery.
Kstovo lies approximately 800 kilometers (nearly 500 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Russian authorities have not yet commented on the reported strike at the refinery, and the Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the reports at the time of publication.
NORSI, or the Lukoil-Nizhegorodorgsintez refinery, is Russia's fourth-largest oil refinery and second-largest gasoline producer, processing around 15-17 million metric tons of crude annually. It also produces bitumen, as well as diesel and aviation fuel used to support Russian forces.
Ukraine has struck the refinery repeatedly in 2026, including attacks on April 5, May 20, June 24, and July 2. Some of those strikes forced production units offline.
Ukraine continues to target Russian oil and gas production and processing sites in an effort to disrupt operations that fund and fuel the ongoing war.
