Russia Admits Oil Production Has Fallen as Refineries Undergo Unscheduled Repairs

Russia has publicly acknowledged a decline in oil production for the first time this year, with Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak attributing the drop to unscheduled maintenance at oil refineries while insisting the country remains capable of sustaining exports.

Speaking at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Thursday, Novak said current output had fallen compared with the beginning of 2026 because several refining facilities were undergoing unexpected repairs.

“ Current production is indeed somewhat lower than it was at the beginning of the year ,” Novak told reporters. “ This is due to the fact that a number of our oil refineries are currently undergoing unscheduled maintenance. ”

He added: “ Naturally, we are utilising our export infrastructure to its maximum capacity. As the refineries return to full operational mode, production will increase and return to its previous levels. ”

The comments mark the first explicit admission by a Russian official that oil output has declined in 2026 . Russia, the world’s third-largest oil producer, stopped publishing detailed oil production data in 2023 following the start of the Ukraine war.

While Novak did not specify the reasons behind the refinery outages, the acknowledgment comes amid an intensifying Ukrainian campaign against Russian energy infrastructure. In recent months, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly targeted refineries, fuel depots and oil terminals deep inside Russian territory, disrupting operations and forcing repairs.

The admission also follows Russia’s decision last month to lower several official forecasts for oil and gas production and exports through 2029, citing a more challenging outlook for the sector.

According to the International Energy Agency , Russian crude production in April was about 8.8 million barrels per day , down roughly 460,000 barrels per day from a year earlier. Despite the decline, Novak maintained that the OPEC+ alliance continues to play a key role in stabilising global energy markets and said Russia remained committed to its cooperation with the producer group.