Protecting oil refineries from drones is costly, but idle plants mean even bigger losses, Russian government says

Protecting oil refineries from drone strikes requires significant spending, but “it’s worth it,” said Alexander Novak, Russia’s deputy prime minister.

“Because if the plants stop operating, that means big losses for the companies,” Novak told reporters, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

The refineries’ owners provide “passive protection” for the facilities and coordinate with the Defense Ministry and the Russian National Guard, Novak said.

As a result, Novak said, Russia safeguards its oil refineries about as well as the UAE does. “Believe me, ours is no worse, and maybe even better, given the experience we’ve gained over the past several months,” he said.

No energy facility has yet been placed under external management for failing to provide adequate protection, Novak said. The corresponding presidential decree, he said, is only meant to encourage private companies to “engage more actively and continuously in protecting their facilities.”

Novak also said scheduled refinery maintenance, normally carried out in the summer, has been pushed back to ensure maximum fuel production.

Ukrainian forces have used drones to strike all of Russia’s largest oil refineries by processing volume over the past several months, causing gasoline shortages across the country.