The Kirishinefteorgsintez (KINEF) refinery in the Leningrad region, one of the pillars of Russian oil processing, has ceased operations following a night-time drone attack on March 26. According to Reuters, the strikes disabled key units of the enterprise, leading to a complete shutdown of the production cycle.
Scale of Damage and Consequences:
- Critical Units: Both main primary processing units, AVT-4 and AVT-6, were damaged. Without them, the operation of the refinery, which has a capacity of 20 million tons per year, is impossible.
- Market Share: In 2025, KINEF accounted for 7% of all Russian oil refining. The plant is a strategic supplier of diesel fuel (7 million tons) and gasoline (2 million tons) for the Northwest region and for export.
- Systemic Attacks: This is the third shutdown of the plant in the last six months. Previous incidents in September and October 2025 also led to partial capacity losses (up to 40%).
- Domino Effect: KINEF became the second major refinery knocked out this week. Earlier, on March 21, the Saratov Refinery (Rosneft) stopped receiving oil due to a drone attack.
Analytical Summary:
The shutdown of KINEF is not just a local accident; it is a heavy blow to Russia’s energy security and export potential.
Vulnerability of Giants: The fact that the country’s second-largest refinery has been disabled for the third time demonstrates the inability of air defense systems to provide reliable cover for critical infrastructure deep in the rear. The simultaneous hit on two units (AVT-4 and AVT-6) indicates high strike precision and an intent to completely paralyze the facility.
Fuel Shortages and Prices: The loss of 7% of national refining capacity will inevitably trigger fuel shortages on the domestic market. The situation with diesel is particularly critical, as KINEF is one of its largest producers. This will lead to a new round of price hikes at gas stations and create problems for logistics and the spring sowing campaign.
Technological Deadlock: The timeline for restoring AVT units remains uncertain. Under sanctions, replacing high-tech equipment and automation becomes an extremely difficult quest. Every week of downtime for KINEF means millions of tons of lost petroleum products and billions of rubles in losses for Surgutneftegaz and the state budget. The geography of the strikes (from Saratov to the Leningrad region) shows that safe zones for the Russian oil industry no longer exist.