Ukrainian strikes have cut Russia's oil refining capacity by 30%
Renewed Ukrainian drone attacks since late October have reduced Russia’s oil refining capacity by around 30%, Reuters reported on November 10, citing two industry sources. The sources estimate that actual crude processing has fallen by approximately 200,000 tons per day, to about 700,000 tons per day.
Over the past week, Ukrainian strikes disrupted operations or caused emergency situations at nine of Russia’s 35 major refineries. The affected facilities have a combined daily processing capacity of around 300,000 metric tons, or 2.2 million barrels, compared with Russia’s total primary refining capacity of roughly 930,000 tons per day. Among the hit sites were refineries in Ryazan, Yaroslavl, and the Volga region. On November 9, a drone strike set fire to the Kirishi refinery in Leningrad Oblast, Russia’s second-largest, while debris from another drone killed a woman in a nearby apartment building.
The campaign follows earlier October strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, including confirmed hits on three refineries and a gas-chemical complex. The attacks come as Russia faces pressure on its domestic fuel supply while continuing diesel exports. They also follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s October announcement of a diesel supply deal with Moscow and a unilateral energy ceasefire declaration, which Ukraine said it would observe only if Russia stopped targeting its own energy infrastructure.
Last tanker carrying Russian diesel turns back from the U.S
The final tanker still heading toward the United States with Russian diesel has reversed course, Bloomberg reported on November 10. The vessel, under the Malta flag, Agioi Fanendes, carrying about 40,000 metric tons of ultra-low-sulfur diesel, made a U-turn roughly 400 nautical miles off New York and has since been zigzagging in the Atlantic while signaling “awaiting orders.”American companies and state governors have refused to grant permission for the ships to enter U.S. ports, citing sanctions risks and legal concerns. The other two tankers that earlier set out under the same arrangement also failed to reach the United States and changed course weeks ago.
The developments leave the initial shipments linked to the October diesel supply deal between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin without confirmed American destinations. No Russian diesel cargo has yet arrived in the U.S. under the arrangement.
Zelenskyy and Rubio described the first day of Abu Dhabi talks as constructive but Incomplete
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the first day of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi between Ukrainian, U.S., and Russian delegations was “constructive and quite substantive.” The discussions covered humanitarian steps, with the release of prisoners identified as a priority, as well as the substance of long-term security guarantees for Ukraine and tools needed to prevent any recurrence of the war. De-escalation measures were also addressed.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in Paris, described the same talks as “very productive” while cautioning that “a lot of work” remains and that a solution is not imminent in the next 24 hours. Rubio stressed the importance of eventually expanding the format to include European representatives directly at the table and said the seriousness of the Russian negotiators is still being tested.
The talks are scheduled to resume on the morning of November 11. Zelenskyy has given the Ukrainian team clear instructions for the next round and for further discussions with U.S. and European partners. He thanked the American side for organizing the negotiations and the UAE for providing the platform, emphasizing that Ukraine’s approach will remain productive, high-quality, and honest, with the goal of genuinely advancing peace.
Russia is preparing strikes on Ukraine’s food industry facilities, including foreign-owned plants
Russia is preparing a new wave of strikes against food industry enterprises across Ukraine, targeting both Ukrainian-owned and foreign-owned businesses, according to a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR). Potential targets include grain elevators, agricultural product warehouses, sunflower and other vegetable oil plants, dairy and butter factories, meat-processing facilities, poultry farms, and related infrastructure.
The source said Moscow’s goals are to undermine Ukraine’s food security, inflict significant economic damage, reduce foreign currency earnings from agricultural exports, and then launch an information campaign aimed at demoralizing Ukrainian society. Beyond domestic impact, Russia also seeks to weaken a competing agricultural exporter and expand its own share of global markets, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
The warning comes as Russia has already intensified attacks on food storage and logistics in recent months. No specific timetable or individual facilities were named by the source.