In Perm, Russia, on the morning of 25 September, a fire broke out at the Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez oil refinery following a drone attack. The Russian authorities confirmed the strike on an industrial facility without naming the plant, whilst OSINT sources and published videos point specifically to the Perm oil refinery — one of the largest in Russia.
What is known about the attack on the Perm oil refinery
A large-scale drone attack on the Perm Krai began in the early hours of 25 September. The region’s governor Dmytro Makhonin He confirmed the strike on an industrial facility and reported that air defence systems and mobile fire teams were in action. Initially, the Russian authorities stated that there were no casualties.
Mahonin later reported that Russian air defences had allegedly shot down 39 drones, and as a result of the attack in the region, a man died from shrapnel wounds. It is not specified exactly where he was at the time of the strike.
The Russian authorities have not named the industrial facility that was targeted. Meanwhile, ASTRA and other monitoring organisations have geolocated the published footage and reported the strike «Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez». The video and photographs show a thick plume of smoke rising above the industrial area.
A fire broke out on the refinery site
According to the Kyiv Post, citing monitoring sources, a fire broke out at the plant following the strike. Initial reports suggest that it may have started in the area of the primary oil refining unit AVT-5. As of the time of publication, there is no independent confirmation of the extent of the damage to this facility.
It is therefore premature to speak of a complete or partial halt Perm Oil Refinery It is still too early to say following this latest attack. As of the morning of 25 September, Lukoil had not publicly reported on the impact of the strike on production.
The Perm Oil Refinery is one of the largest in Russia
«Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez» is situated approximately nine kilometres from Perm and is part of the Lukoil Group. The company has been in operation since 1958 and specialises in the production of motor fuel, lubricants and petrochemical products.
The plant’s declared capacity exceeds 13 million tonnes of oil per year. According to Reuters, in 2024 the plant actually processed around 12.6 million tonnes of oil, making it the seventh-largest refinery in Russia in terms of processing volume.
The company is also one of Russia’s largest producers of diesel fuel. Reuters lists the Perm Refinery as one of six refineries that together account for approximately half of Russia’s diesel production.
The plant had already been shut down following a previous attack
This is not the first blow to the company in recent times.
21 August The Perm oil refinery has already come under attack from drones. Reuters, citing industry sources, reported that following a fire and damage to processing equipment, the plant had halted oil refining operations.
In early September, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence stated that the Perm Oil Refinery was among 12 major Russian oil refineries targeted by Ukrainian long-range weapons during August.
This latest blow comes against the backdrop of already serious problems facing Russia’s oil refining sector. According to Reuters estimates, in September, half of the six largest diesel producers in Russia were forced to significantly cut back or completely halt part of their production following drone attacks. Moscow has also imposed restrictions on exports of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel.
The full extent of the damage to the Perm oil refinery following the attack on 25 September is currently being assessed.
