In May, the AFU Carried Out a Record Number of Strikes on Oil Facilities in Russia Since the Start of the Full-Scale War

In May, the AFU carried out a record number of strikes on oil facilities in Russia since the start of the full-scale war — Bloomberg

Oil processing volume is at a 16-year low, but the country is not yet facing a fuel crisis

Bloomberg writes that in total at least 30 strikes on Russian oil assets were recorded in May. This is the highest figure for any month since Russia’s full-scale invasion began. According to the agency’s calculations, drones attacked 8 of Russia’s 10 largest refineries in May.

As Carnegie Endowment fellow Sergei Vakulenko notes, the strategy of strikes on oil facilities has changed compared with previous years. In addition to refineries, drones are also attacking export terminals and oil pipeline infrastructure, for example pumping stations and fuel storage facilities, which are more expensive to repair.

Nevertheless, Bloomberg writes, the Russian automotive fuel market is still far from the deep crisis seen in 2023, when prices jumped so sharply that President Putin criticized the government for reacting too slowly, and fuel shortages affected even the Far East.

This year, since January, because of the attacks, gasoline prices at gas stations, according to Rosstat, have risen by just over 2 rubles, to 67.53 rubles per liter, and rationing of gasoline purchases was introduced only in Russian-occupied Crimea.

At the same time, according to estimates by OilX analysts, the average figure for May should be 4.58 million barrels per day. That is about 700,000 barrels per day (or 13%) less than a year earlier, and is the lowest figure since October 2009.

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