Despite claims of 43 drones being downed, several Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles penetrated air defenses to strike the Moscow Oil Refinery in Kapotnya. The resulting major fire sent thick black smoke columns visible across the city, impacting critical fuel infrastructure located just 15 kilometers from the Kremlin. This attack, on a facility that supplies a significant portion of Moscow’s fuel needs, represents a notable blow to Russia’s economy and war effort, following a similar incident on June 16, 2026.
Read More
A Ukrainian drone strike on June 15th damaged the main processing unit of the largest fuel supplier to Russia’s Moscow Oblast, a refinery in southeastern Moscow. This attack forced the facility to suspend operations, impacting 53% of its total capacity, though a second processing unit is expected to resume operations shortly. This incident follows earlier reports of a drone attack on Moscow on June 16th and fuel purchase limits introduced by Russian oil giant Tatneft after a separate refinery strike in Tatarstan on June 12th.
Read More
US intelligence agencies have assessed that Iran can now effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz at will. This newfound capability provides Iran with significant leverage, allowing them to impact the global economy. Beyond the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has also learned it can leverage targeted strikes against Gulf energy infrastructure and potentially deploy Houthi forces to close another critical waterway. A US official stated that Iran can only access benefits of the framework agreement if the strait remains open and it abides by other agreed-upon points.
Read More
Despite Ukrainian drone strikes targeting refining infrastructure, Russia’s crude oil exports have surged to their highest levels since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. This increase in crude shipments has coincided with rising global prices, boosting export revenues to their 2022 peak. However, Russian officials have acknowledged a decline in upstream production, and significant portions of export revenue are being diverted to compensate refinery owners due to fuel export limitations, meaning less is reaching the Kremlin.
Read More
Overnight on May 29, Ukrainian drones struck the Volgograd oil refinery, a Lukoil facility crucial for supplying Russian military units and the Black Sea Fleet. The attack damaged primary and secondary oil refining units, forcing a halt in production. The refinery, one of Russia’s largest, is a strategic fuel hub, and its output is also exported via the Caspian and Black Seas. This incident follows previous Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and military targets.
Read More
Ukraine launched a wave of drone strikes against Russian oil targets, hitting the key Baltic Sea loading port of Primorsk and damaging two tankers allegedly used to evade sanctions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed these actions destroyed military targets and significantly disrupted oil export infrastructure. These attacks come as Kyiv intensifies its efforts to cripple Russia’s oil revenue, which it argues funds the invasion. Meanwhile, both sides reported civilian casualties and damage from drone attacks in their respective territories.
Read More
This developing story reports that Ukrainian drones struck oil storage tanks in Tuapse, Russia, overnight on April 28, adding to ongoing fires from previous strikes on a local oil refinery. Russia’s Defense Ministry stated its air defenses intercepted 186 drones across southern regions and occupied Crimea, while Krasnodar Krai’s Operational Headquarters reported a fire at the Tuapse refinery due to fallen drone debris. These strikes are part of Ukraine’s strategy to target energy facilities, which Kyiv views as legitimate military targets supporting Russia’s war effort, though details remain unverified.
Read More
Overnight strikes across Russia and occupied Crimea targeted key energy infrastructure, with Ukrainian drones hitting the “Gorky” oil pumping station in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. This attack reportedly damaged three oil storage tanks, causing a significant fire and disrupting Russia’s oil supply logistics and budget revenues. Additional drone attacks were reported in occupied Feodosia, Melitopol, and Russia’s Samara Oblast, where one person was killed and residential buildings were damaged.
Read More
Drones targeted the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery in Russia’s Samara Oblast, resulting in a significant fire. Explosions were reported early in the morning, with social media showing drones over the area and a large plume of smoke from the industrial zone. This attack on a facility that processes millions of tonnes of crude annually, supporting Russian forces, follows a pattern of similar drone assaults on Russian industrial sites.
Read More
It appears OPEC+ has signaled an intention to increase oil production, contingent upon the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. This announcement comes amidst a backdrop of significant disruptions to global oil traffic, with reports indicating a US-Iran war has largely shut down this vital shipping lane, leading to what’s described as the worst oil supply disruption ever. Despite these concerns, there’s data suggesting at least one tanker carrying Iraqi crude has managed to navigate through the Strait, offering a sliver of hope for resumed activity.
The decision by OPEC+ to consider boosting output is likely driven by the prevailing high oil prices.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood