On the night of 9 November, drones attacked the Kinef oil refinery in Kirish, in the Leningrad Oblast of Russia — one of the country’s largest oil industry facilities. Following a series of explosions on the industrial complex’s premises, a large-scale fire broke out, which was recorded by eyewitnesses and satellite monitoring systems. The Russian authorities confirmed that drones had struck the industrial zone in the city of Kirishi, but did not disclose the extent of the damage to the plant. According to preliminary data from OSINT analysts, the primary oil refining units may have been hit.
- Drones attacked the Kirish Oil Refinery in the Leningrad Oblast.
- Following the explosions, a fire broke out on the factory premises, as captured on video.
- The Russian authorities have confirmed that drones struck the Kirishiv industrial zone.
- There are preliminary reports of possible damage to several oil refineries.
- The Kirish Oil Refinery accounts for around 7 per cent of Russia’s total oil refining capacity.
A fire broke out following the attack on the Kirish oil refinery
Throughout the night, residents of the Leningrad Oblast reported explosions, air defence activity and a bright glow over the Kirishi industrial zone. Videos subsequently appeared on social media showing a large-scale fire in the area around the oil refinery.
Following an analysis of the published footage, the Russian publication ASTRA reported that it is the «Kirishinefteorgsintez» plant that is on fire. Data from NASA’s FIRMS satellite system also showed several thermal anomalies within the industrial complex.
Governor of the Leningrad Region Oleksandr Drozdzenko acknowledged that drones had struck the city’s industrial area. According to his final figures, Russian air defences allegedly shot down 113 drones during the night. There is no independent confirmation of this figure.
As a result of the attack, there were also reports of damage to a flat in Kirishi, from which a family was evacuated. In Vsevolozhsk, debris fell onto the roof of a block of flats.
Which pieces of equipment might have been damaged at the factory?
According to preliminary information from the Dnipro OSINT monitoring channel, the attack may have caused a fire at the ELOU-AVT-2 crude oil processing plant. There were also reports of possible damage to the ELOU-AVT-6 and ELOU-AT-6 units.
These production facilities are used in the initial stages of crude oil processing. Damage to them may affect the plant’s overall productivity; however, the actual consequences depend on the extent of the damage and the possibility of reallocating production processes.
The extent of the damage to specific facilities has not yet been officially confirmed. The Russian authorities have not stated whether the plant’s operations were suspended following the night-time attack.
The Kirish Oil Refinery accounts for around 7 per cent of Russia’s crude oil refining capacity
«Kirishinefteorgsintez», also known as KINEF, is owned by the company «Surgutneftegaz» and is one of Russia’s largest oil refineries. Its design capacity is approximately 20 million tonnes of crude oil per year, whilst actual refining volumes in recent years have been estimated at around 18 million tonnes.
The company accounts for around 7 per cent of Russia’s total oil refining capacity. The refinery is one of the key suppliers of petroleum products to St Petersburg and the north-western regions of Russia, particularly aviation fuel.
KINEF has been the target of drone attacks on several occasions. Throughout 2026, the company came under attack, following which there were reports of damage to equipment and the temporary suspension of operations at certain production facilities.
