Putin admits Russia has not finished repairing refineries after Ukrainian attacks

Russia has still not completed the restoration of oil refineries damaged by Ukrainian strikes. According to Vladimir Putin, about 10% of affected refineries remain to be repaired. The statement came after one of the most intense waves of attacks on Russian oil refining, which led to halts at major enterprises and a reduction in fuel production.

Putin spoke about the state of oil refining enterprises while talking with journalists after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. He stated that most of the damaged capacity has already been restored.

Putin also claimed that during one of the recent night attacks, Ukrainian drones attempted to hit three Russian refineries at once, but allegedly failed to do so due to strengthened air defense. There is no independent confirmation of the results of this particular attack.

At the same time, the Russian president acknowledged the need for further strengthening the protection of refineries and logistics infrastructure. As another response option, he threatened retaliatory strikes.

Ukrainian attacks during the summer significantly affected Russian oil refining. According to Bloomberg calculations based on public reports from both sides, Russian refineries were attacked at least 21 times in August alone - more than in any other month since the start of the full-scale war.

According to an EA Analytics estimate, which was cited by Bloomberg, the average volume of oil refining in Russia in August dropped to approximately 3.8 million barrels per day - one of the lowest levels in more than two decades. Russian plants typically processed about 5.3-5.5 million barrels per day during the summer season.

Among the enterprises that stopped or significantly reduced refining after the strikes in recent weeks were Lukoil's Perm refinery and the NORSI plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region. After an attack at the end of August, NORSI - Russia's fourth-largest refinery and one of the largest gasoline producers - ceased primary oil refining.

The series of halts also affected the domestic fuel market. At the end of August, gasoline production in Russia, according to industry sources, covered only about 70% of domestic demand. In some regions, fuel shortages re-emerged and restrictions on sales were introduced.

At the Eastern Economic Forum on September 3, Putin also made a number of statements regarding the war against Ukraine. He said he sees the possibility of an agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, but believes that key decisions should be made directly by Russia and Ukraine, while other states can assist the negotiation process.

According to him, contacts between the parties continue, including through the security services. At the same time, Putin again accused Ukraine of actions that, in his version, complicate bilateral negotiations. The Russian president traditionally did not mention that the current war began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Separately, Putin once again denied the possibility of a new mobilization in Russia. He stated that there is supposedly no scenario under which it would be necessary, and called reports of a possible mobilization an information operation ahead of the State Duma elections.

Putin also claimed that the Russian army has no problems with manning its troops, and that the number of Ukrainian soldiers allegedly decreases by 8-12 thousand people every month. He provided no evidence for these estimates, and there is no independent confirmation of such figures.

During the same speech, the Russian president touched upon the demographic situation. He admitted that the current birth rate in Russia is insufficient, but denied that the war is a determining factor in demographic problems.

To support his position, Putin cited the examples of Japan and South Korea, where birth rates are even lower, although these countries are not waging a war like this. He called the creation of additional incentives and conditions for families and young women the main task of the Russian authorities.