VLADIVOSTOK, September 2. /TASS/. Efforts to ensure the security of oil refineries in Russia have been stepped up in recent months, considering the increased frequency of attacks, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told reporters.

"Regarding the protection of energy facilities, businesses take a responsible approach to it, ensuring the protection of facilities from the viewpoint of passive protection in accordance with the threat model, and coordinating with the Defense Ministry and Rosgvardiya (Russian National Guard - TASS) to provide necessary resources to protect oil refineries," he said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

"Such efforts have been stepped up here in the past few months, considering the increased frequency of attacks on oil refineries," Novak said.

Russian oil companies are allocating funds to protect oil refineries and coordinating with the Russian Defense Ministry, he added.

Businesses take a responsible approach to ensuring the security of energy facilities, the official noted.

"In accordance with the threat model, they ensure the protection of facilities from the viewpoint of passive protection, as well as coordinate with the Defense Ministry and Rosgvardiya to provide necessary resources for protecting oil refineries. Efforts in this area have been stepped up in the past few months amid the increased frequency of attacks on oil refineries," he said.

According to Novak, oil refineries in Russia are better protected than those in the UAE now as the country’s authorities are proceeding from a more severe threat model.

"Believe me, it’s just as good here, or perhaps even better, considering the experience gained over the past few months. Our design institutes are working very closely with oil refineries on the protection of facilities, and the level is, in my view, far better, as the calculations are based on a more severe threat model," he said when asked whether Russian oil refineries need protection similar to that in the UAE where high metal frameworks and mesh structures resembling scaffolding are built around storage tanks.

The Eastern Economic Forum is taking place on September 1-4 in Vladivostok on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University. The main theme of this year’s EEF is "The Far East: Development for the Benefit of People." The event is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Russian government. TASS is its general information partner.