Ukraine Hits Refinery as Moscow Prepares to Extend Diesel Export Ban

Ukrainian forces carried out a drone strike overnight on an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, northeast of Moscow, damaging a processing unit that is co-owned by Rosneft and Gazprom Neft, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The operation was described by Kyiv as a joint effort involving the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine and the Foreign Intelligence Service; Zelenskyy posted video footage showing the refinery burning. Yaroslavl governor Mikhail Yevrayev reported on Telegram that the site sustained damage and that a fire had been extinguished by Thursday morning.

Russian forces meanwhile struck infrastructure in Kyiv on the same day, highlighting continued reciprocal attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure despite any informal expectations of restraint. Observers have interpreted the latest exchanges as evidence that there is no agreed limitation on strikes against energy sites between the two sides.

The Yaroslavl attack comes as Moscow prepares to extend a diesel export ban. Russian media reported the government is set to prolong restrictions on diesel exports through October 31; the measure had been expanded in July from traders and small refineries to cover all fuel producers and was due to lapse on September 30. Officials cited delayed refinery maintenance and the need to rebuild winter fuel stocks as reasons for the extension.

Russia has faced a domestic gasoline and diesel shortage since the spring, a situation Moscow attributes in part to intensified Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries aimed at disrupting supplies to military front lines and the domestic market. The export ban has compounded supply tightness in global middle-distillate markets already affected by wider geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Reporting for this article was based on coverage by Oilprice.com (Charles Kennedy).