Ukraine has attacked a refinery and an ozone warehouse in Saratov – Finally soon an end to the EU’s import of Russian gas – Russian losses

Ukrainian attack during the night on the Russian city of Saratov
Ukrainians attacked the Russian city of Saratov during the night and there are reports of attacks on both oil and logistics infrastructure, with the oil refinery reportedly hit as well as a logistics center belonging to Ozon being one of the targets.

Saratov’s oil refinery has repeatedly been visited by Ukrainian drones and the refinery belongs to the state oil company Rosneft. They process about 4.8 million tons of crude oil per year, so it is not one of the larger refineries where the largest produce 4-5 times as much. At the same time, many refineries have been damaged and some are no longer even in operation; losing another approximately 5 MT in annual production is of course noticeable. It is not only reduced production of gasoline and diesel but also quantities of other petrochemical products that are affected, where Russia may be forced to import instead of being able to export or at least be self-sufficient.

Regarding Ozon, there is a video showing a major fire breaking out shortly after explosions were heard. I have not had time to check how large the warehouse in Saratov is (or was). However, I see that their stock has already fallen 4.2% this morning.

Besides Saratov, there have been reports of explosions heard at the port city of Kaspiysk in Dagestan, but there is no further information yet.

EU’s import of Russian liquefied natural gas is decreasing sharply
Finally, one almost has to exclaim, because it seems that the EU’s sanctions against Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) are starting to have a serious effect as the deadline for the long-term contracts is also approaching.

According to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Belgium, which has been a major importer, stopped its imports in August, leading to a significant reduction. They stopped imports even though there are several months before the total ban takes effect. The EU’s total import of Russian LNG decreased by 46% month-on-month to the lowest monthly volume in August since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine began. Belgium not only imported LNG for itself but also served as a hub for several European countries, which explains why their stop had such a large impact across the entire EU. From January 2027, importing Russian LNG into the EU will be illegal.

French ports also accounted for 57% of the EU’s total LNG imports (but as I understand it, that is all LNG imports), but the French energy company TotalEnergies’ LNG import contracts will end at the end of 2026.

According to CREA, the EU accounted for 49% of Russia’s total LNG exports, almost twice as much as the second largest destination, China, at 24%.

Importing LNG was still a fairly small part, about 12% (~5.2 billion euros) of the total gas imports from Russia before the war. This is of course because most came via pipelines. In 2021, the EU imported Russian gas worth about 42 billion euros in total. In 2022, LNG actually increased significantly to 16.1 billion euros and total gas to 66.5 billion euros. The increase was mainly due to higher prices. (If Ukraine was behind the Nord Stream sabotage, they were thinking long-term and knew exactly what they were doing).

66 billion euros corresponds to roughly 75 billion USD. The Russian state’s military budget increased in the first years and the latest figures I have seen for 2026 were that it amounted to 157 billion USD. It is easy to think that gas exports to the EU correspond to half the budget, and of course they do, but at the same time, the profit margin on gas sales is not 100% nor are the tax revenues to the state, but it is probably still quite high, maybe it can still be about 10-20% of their “war budget” that we in the EU have financed each year. At the same time, it is also so much that they will soon lose compared to 2022. It has slowly decreased over the years as short-term contracts have been phased out through sanctions.

When the ban finally comes fully into force, five years will have passed!
The Soviet Union (and also China) used five-year plans; it seems that this is roughly the pace we in the EU can maintain when major changes are required. My guess is that it has taken so long because at first people believed the war would soon be over.

Really good that there will soon be a total stop.

Russian losses

• 1490 KWIA
• 2 Tanks
• 7 AFVs
• 64 Artillery systems
• 2 MLRS
• 4 Air defense systems
• 1925 UAVs
• 23 UGVs
• 590 Vehicles and Fuel tanks
• 16 Special equipment

Ukrainian General Staff morning report

Operational information as of 08:00 on September 11, 2026, on the Russian invasion

Glory to Ukraine!
The 1661st day of the Russian Federation’s full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine has begun.

During the last 24 hours, a total of 235 combat contacts were recorded.
Yesterday, the enemy carried out 114 airstrikes, during which 365 guided aerial bombs were dropped. In addition, the attackers used 10,808 kamikaze drones and conducted 2,953 shellings against communities and our troops’ positions, of which 46 were with rocket artillery.

Enemy shelling affected, among others, the communities of Sopych, Bachivsk, Korenok, Luzhky, Kozache, Ulanove, Hirky, Kindrativka, Pysarivka, Ivolzhanske, Mohrytsia, Yastrubyne, Rohizne, Andriivka, Korchakivka, Zapsillia, and Sadky in the Sumy region, as well as Hasychivka and Kliusy in the Chernihiv region. Velyka Berizka, Tovstodubove, Sumy, Vakalivshchyna, Velyka Rybytsia, and Mala Rybytsia were subjected to airstrikes.

During the last 24 hours, the defense forces’ aviation, missile units, and artillery hit five areas with concentrations of enemy personnel, six command posts for unmanned aerial vehicles, and eight artillery systems belonging to the occupiers.

On the northern Slobozhansky and Kursk sectors, three enemy assault attempts were recorded during the last 24 hours. The attacker conducted 144 shellings against our troops’ positions and communities. The enemy also carried out seven airstrikes with a total of 14 guided aerial bombs.

On the southern Slobozhansky sector, Ukrainian units repelled five enemy attacks. The attackers tried to advance towards Izbytske and Ivanivka as well as in the areas around Starytsia, Chuhunivka, and Zakharivka.

On the Kupyansk sector, the enemy attempted to improve their positions on four occasions through assault operations in the areas around Petropavlivka, Kivsharivka, and Hlushkivka.

On the Lyman sector, our defenders successfully repelled nine enemy attempts to advance towards Novyi Myr, Olhivka, and Lyman as well as in the areas around Novoselivka, Stavky, Drobysheve, and Dibrova.

On the Sloviansk sector, the enemy carried out three assault attempts near Ozerne and Kryva Luka as well as towards Rai-Oleksandrivka.

On the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy conducted no offensive operations.

On the Kostiantynivka sector, 17 attacks were recorded. According to updated information, the attackers carried out assault operations near Kostiantynivka, Illinivka, Dovha Balka, Toretske, and Vilne as well as towards Novopavlivka, Mykolaipillia, and Kucheriv Yar.

On the Pokrovsk sector, the enemy carried out 33 attacks. The opponent tried to advance in the areas around Dorozhnie, Bilytske, Shevchenko, Novooleksandrivka, Udachne, Molodetske, Novopidhorodnie, Novomykolaivka, and Muravka as well as towards Hannivka, Svitlé, Dobropillia, Matiashéve, and Serhiivka.

On the Oleksandrivka sector, the enemy carried out three assault attempts towards Berezove and Kalynivske as well as in the area around Novohryhorivka.

On the Huljajpole sector, the occupiers attacked our defenders’ positions eight times. The enemy tried to advance towards Rizdvianka and Vozdvyzhivka, in the area around Tsvitkove and Huliaipilske as well as towards Charivne.

On the Orikhiv sector, the defense forces repelled two enemy attacks in the area around Mala Tokmachka as well as towards Novoiakovlivka.

On the Prydniprovsk sector, the occupiers conducted no offensive operations.

On the Volyn and Polissya sectors, no signs have been detected that the enemy is forming offensive force groupings.

In total, the Russian attackers’ losses during the last 24 hours amounted to 1,490 personnel. In addition, two tanks, seven armored fighting vehicles, 64 artillery systems, two rocket artillery systems, four air defense systems, 23 ground-based missile systems, 1,925 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 vehicles, and 16 units of special equipment were neutralized.

Join the defense forces! Together we will triumph! Glory to Ukraine!

SLAVA UKRAINI