Russia's Orsk oil refinery suspended operations after a flood caused a dam breach in Orenburg Oblast, Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti reported on April 7, citing the refinery's press service.
The dam burst on April 5 in the city of Orsk, less than 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the border with Kazakhstan, due to a flood. The floods, caused by rising water levels in the Ural River, forced over 4,000 people in the region to evacuate and flooded thousands of homes, according to local authorities.
RIA Novosti claimed the suspension of the refinery's operation was aimed at "avoiding environmental risks and to comply with safety regulations."
The Orsk oil refinery is able to process 6 million metric tons of oil per year and is reportedly one of the main oil refineries in Russia.
Russian companies are facing difficulties in repairing oil refineries due to Western sanctions, and Ukrainian drone attacks could worsen the problem, Reuters previously reported.
Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry. A total of 12 Russian oil refineries were reportedly successfully hit in multiple regions deep inside Russian territory as of March 17.
Reuters estimated that these attacks forced Russian refineries to shut in about 14% of their capacity in the first quarter.
Igor Kossov
