Ukraine’s attacks on oil refineries have cost Russia more than $7 billion since start of year, - Washington Post
Ukraine carried out more than 20 strikes on Russian oil infrastructure in 2026, causing over $7 billion in damage.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by The Washington Post.
A series of strikes in late March and early April on major Russian oil terminals—including those in Ust-Luga, Primorsk on the Baltic Sea, and Novorossiysk on the Black Sea—cost Russia approximately $2.2 billion in lost revenue.
Reasons for the losses: port shutdowns and reduced exports
As noted by Borys Dodonov, head of the Center for Energy and Climate Studies at the Kyiv School of Economics, the main factors were weeks-long shutdowns of port infrastructure and a temporary reduction in export volumes.
According to him, further strikes on oil refineries could increase losses even further. In particular, attacks on Rosneft’s refinery in Tuapse likely caused such severe damage that the facility may require a complete rebuild, estimated to cost approximately $5 billion.
Attacks on the oil industry and sanctions have impacted Russia’s production
Despite this, Russia’s oil export revenues have risen due to higher global prices caused by the escalating conflict with Iran. In March, they amounted to about $19 billion, compared to $9.8 billion in February.
According to estimates by Harvard University researcher Craig Kennedy, due to sanctions pressure and rising war costs, Russia needs an average oil price of about $115 per barrel to meet its 2026 budget targets without cuts.
Kennedy also notes that attacks on oil infrastructure forced Russian companies to cut production by approximately 300,000–400,000 barrels in April.
