Russian refinery shut after Ukraine strike, AFP says

A major Russian oil refinery in Orsk has been shut down after what AFP reported was a Ukrainian long-range attack earlier this week, and repairs could take up to six months, Orenburg regional governor Yevgeny Solntsev said Thursday.

The refinery is in Russia's Orenburg region, about 1,300 kilometres from the front line. AFP reported that the attack triggered a large fire at the site.

"The equipment is imported, and given sanctions, repairs will take up to six months," Solntsev said on social media. "The plant has been completely shut down," he added, warning that the region was preparing for a worst-case scenario.

Solntsev said the region would need to import fuel to cover any potential shortfall.

Ukraine has targeted Russian energy sites with drones and missiles for months. AFP said the strikes have triggered fuel shortages across Russia in recent months, with almost all regions at some point introducing limits on commercial sales, including volume caps or other rationing measures.

Officials had reported that the situation had begun to ease in recent weeks, but drivers in Moscow told AFP on Wednesday they were worried about a new crisis. Taxi driver Nursultan Akhmadov told AFP that lines were starting to build up again and that petrol prices were rising.