St. petersburg: Russia's domestic oil production has experienced a decline so far this year, as confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak on Thursday. Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Novak highlighted the current situation, noting that production levels have dropped compared to the beginning of 2026.

According to Anadolu Agency, Novak attributed the decline to unscheduled maintenance at several Russian oil refineries. Despite these challenges, he emphasized that efforts are being made to maximize the capacity of Russia's export infrastructure. Novak expressed optimism that production rates would recover as the refineries return to full capacity.

The decrease in oil production occurs against the backdrop of ongoing Ukrainian strikes targeting Russian energy infrastructure. These strikes have intensified as the Russia-Ukraine conflict enters its fifth year. The Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting and destroying 272 Ukrainian drones across various regions, including the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and Crimea.

In Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, Sergey Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head, stated on Telegram that four people were killed and ten injured due to Ukrainian attacks. Meanwhile, Ukraine accused Russia of conducting overnight airstrikes, claiming that its air defenses successfully downed 264 out of 293 drones launched by Moscow.

In Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported that five people were killed and ten injured due to Russian attacks in the past 24 hours. Similarly, Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synyehubov reported three fatalities and 21 injuries resulting from Russian attacks in the northwestern Ukrainian region.