Major Russian oil refinery in flames after drone strike, locals say
The Lukoil-owned NORSI plant in Nizhny Novogorod Oblast is the fourth-largest oil refinery in Russia.
A massive blaze erupted at Russia's NORSI oil refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, following a reported drone attack on August 27, according to local Telegram channels and online footage. The Lukoil-operated refinery, one of Russia's most significant oil processing and gasoline production facilities, saw flames engulf the facility after residents initially reported an air raid alert and drones in the sky.
Kstovo, situated around 800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, witnessed residents posting images and videos of the inferno on monitoring channels. However, Russian authorities have yet to confirm the strike, and the Kyiv Independent was unable to independently verify the reports at the time of publication. The NORSI refinery, also known as the Lukoil-Nizhegorodorgsintez complex, is Russia's fourth-largest oil refinery and second-largest gasoline producer, processing between 15-17 million metric tons of crude annually.
It also generates bitumen, diesel, and aviation fuel crucial for supporting Russian forces. Ukraine has targeted the refinery multiple times in 2026, including strikes on April 5, May 20, June 24, and July 2, which have occasionally disrupted production units. The ongoing conflict has seen Ukraine persist in attacking Russian oil and gas production and processing sites to hamper the war effort.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
