Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russian refineries crippled both Russia’s fuel production and exports, with seaborne shipments in September plunging by 17.1% compared to August, according to Reuters estimates based on data from industry sources.
Russia exported by sea 7.58 million metric tons of fuels last month, per the calculations, as shipments from the Russian ports on the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea slumped by between 15% and 23%. Exports of fuels from the Arctic ports inched up by 1.8% in September from August, while fuel shipments from Russia’s ports in the Far East fell by 1.5%.
Russia last month extended the ban on gasoline exports and introduced a ban on non-producers to export diesel by the end of the year.
The extension of the gasoline export ban and the introduction of a diesel export ban for trading companies is not surprising, as fuel shortages have emerged amid intensified Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries and other energy infrastructure.
Russia has not commented on the extent of the damage done by Ukrainian drones, but various reports have said that at least 10 refineries have been targeted with drones by Ukraine, and some of them have sustained damages and had to temporarily halt crude intake.
Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russian refineries have resulted in a fuel crunch in Russia, where the shortage is estimated at up to 20% of demand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week.
“According to our data, the enemy’s gasoline shortage is up to around 20% of needs. Estimates vary from 13 to 20%, but it is confirmed that the shortage is already significant. In our view, it is about 20% today,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
“Our weapons are delivering tangible results,” the Ukrainian president added, as both Ukraine and Russia have intensified attacks on each other’s critical energy infrastructure ahead of the winter.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
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