Russia, renowned for its energy prowess, is facing a severe fuel crisis triggered by Ukrainian drone strikes on its oil refineries.
The attacks have crippled refining capacity, leading to fuel shortages and skyrocketing prices across the country. Petrol stations in several regions have run dry, and motorists are queuing for hours to fill their tanks.
The Ukrainian drone campaign, designed to pressure Moscow and demonstrate Kyiv’s leverage in peace talks led by US President Donald Trump, has disrupted at least 17% of Russia’s refining capacity, equivalent to 1.1 million barrels per day.
According to analysts, the attacks have been massive, coordinated, and repeated, leaving refineries little time to repair damage before the next strike.
“The attacks are massive, coordinated, and repeated; they come in waves, and the refineries simply do not have time to repair the damage caused by the previous attack before the next one occurs,” said Boris Aronstein, an independent oil and gas analyst.
Wholesale prices for A-95 petrol, Russia’s most widely used fuel, have hit record highs, climbing to approximately 82,300 roubles (£760) per tonne, a staggering 54% increase from January.
The fuel shortages are particularly acute in remote regions, including the Far East, southern Russia, and the annexed Crimean Peninsula, where motorists have been forced to switch to more expensive fuel grades due to shortages of regular A-95 petrol.
The crisis has been exacerbated by the timing, as August is traditionally the toughest month for Russia’s fuel market.
The harvest season pushes up demand, refineries undergo scheduled maintenance, and exporters chase higher seasonal prices abroad.
What is usually a predictable squeeze has tipped into a full-blown shortage after Ukrainian drones knocked out key facilities.
Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, has been among the hardest hit, with airports shut due to the drone threat, forcing visitors onto roads and further straining already scarce supplies.
Russian social media is flooded with complaints from frustrated motorists about shortages and soaring prices. “We’ve been waiting for hours, and no one knows if we’ll even get our cars filled,” said one man in the Far Eastern city of Dalnegorsk.
The Motorist’s Den, a popular Russian car channel on Telegram, quipped, “it feels like petrol will soon be poured into champagne glasses rather than fuel tanks.” Another post joked, “filling up now is almost like a trip to a boutique: you set out for a litre, and return with an empty wallet and the philosophical thought that maybe walking isn’t so bad after all.”
Despite the challenges, officials have urged calm, with the Kremlin-appointed head of Crimea asking residents “to understand the restrictions on 95-octane petrol” and assuring them that measures are being taken to stabilize prices.
However, analysts caution that while the shortages are unlikely to derail Russia’s war effort or heavy industry, which primarily runs on diesel, the fuel squeeze could drag on well into winter. If the situation worsens, authorities might resort to gasoline rationing, according to Sergey Vakulenko, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.
The Russian government’s ability to manage the crisis will be crucial in determining the impact on the country’s economy and population.
With Ukraine showing no signs of slowing its drone campaign, the fuel crisis is likely to remain a significant challenge for Russia in the coming months.