Ukraine Strikes Moscow Refinery Amid Global Diesel Crisis

Ukrainian forces launched a series of drone strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, targeting the Gazprom Neft-owned Moscow Oil Refinery and a logistics facility in the Moscow region on September 20, 2026. Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the operation, which utilized Palianytsia and Liutyi drone systems to hit facilities he described as those that "sustain the war machine." The Moscow refinery, located 16 miles from the Kremlin, processes 245,000 barrels per day and supplies the city's metro area.

These attacks followed previous strikes that halted production at the Syzran and Saratov refineries, which together processed 310,000 barrels per day. The offensive continued despite a request from U.S. President Donald Trump for Ukraine to cease attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.

The strikes coincide with a severe global diesel crisis. Refining spreads and futures have reached record highs following reports that two refineries in Saudi Arabia were destroyed and an Exxon Mobil diesel refinery in the U.S. Midwest shut down due to outages. Diesel prices have risen nearly 90% this year, prompting the Federal Government of Russia to consider extending its diesel export ban. In the United States, Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated he is open to exploring a similar ban on U.S. diesel exports to stabilize domestic stockpiles.