Drone Attack Halts Operations at Russia's Salavat Petrochemical Plant: Repair Timeline Revealed.

Salavat Petrochemical Complex Suspends Operations After Drone Strike

According to Espreso.tv: Ukraine's drone attack on the Salavat petrochemical complex has forced a shutdown after damaging critical crude oil processing units. The regional governor confirmed the strike and stated that repairs to the affected equipment could take anywhere from several weeks to several months.

Damaged Units and Production Impact

Among the facilities hit were the CDU-6 crude distillation unit, capable of processing 17,140 metric tons per day, and the CDU-4 unit, which handles 11,430 tons of oil and gas condensate daily. In 2024, the Salavat complex processed 7.2 million tons of crude oil, yielding:

• 2.5 million tons of diesel fuel
• 1.5 million tons of gasoline
• 700,000 tons of fuel oil

Russia has been grappling with fuel shortages since late May. To address this, the country plans to import gasoline by sea from Asian nations starting June 17. On July 1, maritime shipments from India began, with at least 60,000 tons of fuel already dispatched. Additionally, on July 13, Russia's oil refining volumes dropped to their lowest level in over 21 years.

The attack on the Salavat petrochemical complex highlights the severe fuel supply challenges Russia faces amid an ongoing shortage.

The plant's restart could play a key role in stabilizing the fuel market, especially as imports from other countries ramp up. However, with repairs expected to take considerable time, the region may face even greater fuel supply disruptions in the near term.