Russia Outsources Its Own Oil Refining to Kazakhstan After Drone Strikes Cripple Domestic Capacity

Russia signed a deal with Kazakhstan's Kondensat refinery in August 2026 to process Russian crude outside the country, with 70% of refined fuel shipped back to Russia. Ukrainian drone strikes have degraded Russian refining capacity by 28%, forcing gasoline rationing. The crude must travel by rail, as the Kondensat facility lacks a Russian pipeline link.