Key facts
- A fire broke out at the NORSI oil refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, on August 27.
- Local residents reported drone activity and an air raid alert before the fire.
- The NORSI refinery is a significant facility for Lukoil, processing 15-17 million metric tons of crude annually.
- Ukraine has previously targeted this refinery multiple times in 2026, causing production disruptions.
A fire erupted at Russia's NORSI oil refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, overnight on August 27, following reports from local Telegram channels and online footage indicating a drone attack. Residents in the Kstovo area reported hearing an air raid alert and seeing drones overhead shortly before the blaze began. The Lukoil-owned refinery is one of Russia's most important facilities for oil processing and gasoline production, with an annual capacity of 15-17 million metric tons of crude. It also produces bitumen, diesel, and aviation fuel. This is not the first time the refinery has been targeted; Ukraine has conducted multiple strikes in 2026, some of which led to production unit downtime. Ukraine has been consistently targeting Russian oil and gas sites to disrupt operations that fund the ongoing war.