Ukrainian Forces Strike Russia's Fourth-Largest Refinery, U.S. Diesel Prices Approach Record Highs
Nashnova编辑部
Ukrainian drones hit the NORSI refinery — Russia's fourth-largest, processing 320,000–340,000 barrels per day — forcing a shutdown; US retail diesel jumped 20 cents in a single week, nearing record highs as battlefield strikes feed directly into global fuel costs.
How big is the refinery that was hit?
The NORSI refinery belongs to Lukoil and sits in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region, roughly 400 km from Moscow.
It is Russia's fourth-largest refinery and second-largest gasoline producer, with annual capacity of about 125 million barrels — roughly 320,000–340,000 barrels per day.
This means → this is not a marginal facility but a critical node in Russia's fuel supply chain. A prolonged shutdown would leave a visible gap in domestic gasoline output.
Why are US diesel prices rising alongside this?
US retail diesel has climbed to $5.62–$5.65 per gallon, near record highs.
The price rose 20 cents in a single week and stands roughly $2 above the same period last year.
In plain terms = the spike has two drivers squeezing at once: Middle East conflicts tightening global supply, and Russian refining capacity knocked offline — together they push diesel to the top of its range.
What does Zelensky's statement signal?
Zelensky wrote on social media: "The war must return to where it started."
He stated explicitly that Ukraine's strikes are designed to "ensure the aggressor's cost of war keeps rising."
This reflects a shift: Kyiv now treats attacks on Russian energy infrastructure as a sustained strategy, not one-off retaliation — further strikes of this kind are highly likely.
What else happened the same night?
Ukrainian forces struck the Wildberries logistics warehouse in Kotovsk, Tambov region, again. Local officials confirmed the complex was "completely" destroyed.
The same warehouse was first hit on July 18, killing 7 and hospitalizing 23.
Ukraine's rationale for targeting it: Wildberries has been assisting the Russian military with supply logistics. This means → Ukraine's target list has expanded beyond purely military sites to civilian facilities that provide rear-area support to the armed forces.
How has Russia responded?
The Kremlin has not issued an official statement on the NORSI refinery strike.
Videos of the fire have circulated widely online, but whether the refinery has fully shut down remains unconfirmed by officials.
In plain terms = the picture is still incomplete — footage of the blaze is everywhere, but the true scale of capacity loss is something no one can confirm yet.
市场有风险，内容仅供研究参考，不构成投资建议。