Key developments on Feb. 11: * Ukraine could trade territory in potential peace talks with Russia, Zelensky says * Ukraine strikes Russia's Saratov oil refinery, military confirms * US won't send troops to Ukraine, Pentagon chief says * North Korea has sent 200 long-range artillery guns to Russia, Seoul says * Ukrainian drones destroy Russian
Chinese refiners are being offered Russian ESPO crude at discounted prices as rising concerns over U.S. sanctions create logistical and administrative challenges, deterring buyers, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 11.
"The refinery mainly produces gasoline, fuel oil, and diesel fuel. In total, more than 20 types of oil products (are being produced there)," the General Staff said.
"The Saratov Oil Refinery is one of the key facilities in Russia's fuel infrastructure. Its refining capacity reaches 7 million tons of oil annually," Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, said.
Key developments on Feb. 10: * Russia massing troops for new assaults in Chasiv Yar, military warns * Drones reportedly target key Russian oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai * Trump claims 'progress' on ending Russia-Ukraine war, confirms contact with Putin * Ukraine approves high-speed Baton drones for battlefield deployment * Ukraine to receive Patria 6x6
The fire at the Albashneft oil depot was extinguished at 8:11 am Moscow time, the independent Telegram channel Astra reported, publishing a video of what appears to be a burning oil tank.
Ukrainian drones attacked energy facilities in Russia's Astrakhan and Volgograd oblasts overnight on Feb. 3, causing a fire, according to local authorities.
"This refinery is one of the 10 largest oil refineries in Russia in terms of design capacity and is involved in supplying the Russian occupatying army," the General Staff said in a statement.
The wreckage of a downed drone fell on the refinery, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished, Governor Andrey Bocharov said.
A drop in shipping activity at the Baltic Sea port appears to back up the SBU's claims that Ukrainian drones struck the Andreapol oil pumping station, shutting down the main pipeline that feeds Ust-Luga.
According to a military intelligence source, the Lukoil oil depot in the city of Kstovo was targeted by four drones, all of which struck their target and caused "significant damage."
The disruption has led to stalled trade in Russian crude loaded for March delivery as rising shipping costs created a significant price gap between buyers and sellers, according to Reuters.
"The railway loading equipment has been damaged. There have been no railways loadings, they stopped oil processing," an industry source said.
Key developments on Jan. 24: * 'More than 50 explosions’ — Massive drone strike targets Russian refinery, plants * Russian army failing to outflank Pokrovsk, Ukraine's military says * Media investigation identifies over 90,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine * 'Utter bulls***' — Ukraine rejects Russia's demand to abandon NATO membership promise * Zelensky is
The removal of these flags disrupts Russia's oil export logistics, forcing tankers to re-register in less reputable jurisdictions and change ownership to avoid detection.
China has emerged as Russia's largest supplier of goods, but Chinese imports have failed to fully replace Western equipment and raw materials lost due to sanctions, The Moscow Times reported on Jan. 20, citing data from the Gaidar Institute.
In 2024, 108.5 million metric tons were imported from Russia, including through pipelines and sea deliveries.
A fire erupted at an oil depot in the town of Uzlovaya in Russia's Tula Oblast following a Ukrainian drone attack on the facility overnight on Jan. 18, regional Governor Dmitry Milyaev said.
The latest sanctions, imposed last week, targeted over 180 oil-carrying vessels of Russia's so-called shadow fleet, a group of aging tankers routinely used for sanction evasion.
Ukraine has targeted Russia's fossil fuel infrastructure as part of its strategy to undermine a key funding source for Russia's war effort.
The countries argue that a lower cap would further restrict Russia's ability to finance its war against Ukraine while avoiding significant disruptions to global oil markets.
Three sanctioned tankers carrying over 2 million barrels of Russian crude oil are floating off China's coast after they were hit by fresh U.S. sanctions last week, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 13.
Ex-President Petro Poroshenko and members of his European Solidarity opposition party submitted a bill on Jan. 7 banning the transit of Russian oil and gas through Ukraine's territory during martial law.
The operation, carried out jointly by Ukraine's military intelligence, the Unmanned Systems Forces, and other units, targeted the Kristal Plant used to supply fuel to the nearby Engels-2 airbase, the military said.
The U.S.'s planned sanctions would aim at targeting tankers carrying Russian oil above the imposed price cap and individuals working in schemes to sell crude above the cap, Reuters reported.
The Helsinki District Court has ruled to keep the oil tanker — suspected of belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet" — under seizure, despite an appeal from the ship's owner.
The amount of oil spilled in the Kerch Strait by two Russian oil tankers is "significantly less than the initial estimate," Russia's Transport Ministry claimed on Jan. 2.
The declaration comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed during a press conference on Dec. 19 that Ukraine would not extend the transit agreement for Russian gas through its territory, which is set to expire on Dec. 31.
Initially, SBU drones attacked the facility to distract Russian air defenses, providing a "window" for Ukrainian missiles to strike the facility, an SBU source said.
A fire broke out at the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia's Rostov Oblast in the early hours of Dec. 19 following a mass drone and missile attack, Yuri Slyusar, acting governor of Rostov Oblast said.
The two tankers, which reportedly sank on Dec. 15 due to severe weather conditions, were carrying approximately 4,000 tons of fuel oil on board each.
Ukrainian drones reportedly struck an oil depot in the city of Oryol overnight on Dec. 14, causing a large fire. Governor Andrey Klychkov later said that 11 drones were downed over the Oryol region.
