A major Russian oil refinery in the city of Orsk near the border with Kazakhstan has shut down for up to half a year following a Ukrainian drone attack earlier this week, authorities said Thursday.
The Ukrainian military said Tuesday it had attacked the Orsknefteorgsintez refinery, located around 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from the border with Ukraine. The refinery has an annual processing capacity of 6.6 million metric tons.
“The plant has completely shut down,” said Orenburg region Governor Yevgeny Solntsev.
He noted that repairs could take up to six months because shrapnel damaged “key infrastructure” that cannot be repaired due to Western sanctions on imported equipment.
“We’re preparing for a worst-case scenario and will have to rely on fuel supplies brought in from outside the region,” Solntsev wrote on Telegram.
Solntsev said 80% of the region’s 287 filling stations were currently operational and priority was being given to “emergency and specialized vehicles.”
On Wednesday, the governor introduced fuel rationing and an odd-even license plate system at gas stations following the attack.
On Thursday, he described the situation at local gas stations as “not simple everywhere, but manageable.”
Orenburg is the 16th reported region to face renewed fuel disruptions following a brief period of stabilization in late July that was disrupted by fresh Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure.
Reuters contributed reporting.
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