Deputy PM: Russian refineries better protected than UAE plants

Russia has postponed scheduled maintenance at some oil refineries that was originally planned for the summer, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday, September 2, as authorities seek to prevent disruptions to fuel supplies.

Novak said the government and oil companies were doing everything possible to complete the maintenance campaigns as quickly as possible and avoid disruptions in the domestic fuel market.

He said oil companies had allocated their own funds to strengthen protection at refineries and were coordinating their efforts with the Defence Ministry.

“Protecting the refineries came at considerable cost to the companies, but keeping the plants idle would have caused greater losses,” Novak said.

He added that Russian oil refineries were now better protected than those in the United Arab Emirates.

By Tamilla Hasanova