Drone Strikes Halt Operations at NORSI: A Blow to Russia's Energy Sector

NORSI, Russia's fourth-largest oil refinery, halted its operations following a Ukrainian drone attack on April 5, according to industry insiders. This temporary shutdown further destabilizes Russia's energy sector, already struggling under a series of continuous Ukrainian assaults targeting key oil export terminals like those on the Black Sea and Baltic Sea.

Authorities confirmed on Sunday that the NORSI refinery caught fire due to the drone strike. Gleb Nikitin, the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, stated that two facilities were hit, causing damage to a power station and several nearby houses.

The Saint-Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange indicated that Lukoil has stopped offering gasoline, diesel, or fuel oil from this refinery, located 450 km east of Moscow. Sources anticipate supply suspensions continuing through the month's end, while Lukoil refrained from offering comments on the matter. NORSI is Russia's second-largest gasoline producer, capable of processing around 320,000 barrels of oil daily.