Overview

• Ukrainian drones struck the Kuibyshev refinery in Samara and the Afipsky refinery in Krasnodar on the night of August 28, marking a fresh escalation against Russian energy infrastructure.
• Industry sources cited by Reuters expect the Ust-Luga oil terminal to run at roughly half capacity in September after damage to the Unetscha pump station, with flows redirected to Primorsk and Novorossiysk.
• The Russian government prolonged its gasoline export ban announced August 27, extending restrictions to September 30 for producers and October 31 for non‑producers to stabilize the domestic market.
• Analyst estimates reported by major outlets put up to about 17% of Russia’s refining capacity out of service, while ISW ties the strikes to nationwide fuel shortages and mounting price pressures as Russian bloggers fault air defenses.
• Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia has concentrated up to 100,000 troops near Pokrowsk, and a night attack on Kyiv on August 28 killed at least 18 people and injured 40.