Vladimir Putin acknowledges fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries

Russia is experiencing a significant fuel crisis as Ukrainian drone strikes have damaged over 50% of the nation's refining capacity. While the administration maintains that the consequences are non-critical, citizens face long queues, rationing, and rising prices. To mitigate the shortage, the administration has temporarily authorized the sale of lower-grade fuels and begun importing petrol from nations such as Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Morocco. The crisis has forced Russia to reintroduce fuel grades like Euro-2, which were previously banned due to higher sulfur content. Despite these measures, some regions report a daily deficit of approximately 35% in petrol output. While the administration continues to project confidence, critics argue that the lack of fuel could eventually impact the railway network and industrial production. The government has also implemented price controls and opened dozens of cases against oil companies to manage the domestic supply and address public resentment over rationing.

Sources

• Al Jazeera
  Ukraine’s offensive against Russia causes petrol panic across Central Asia
• CNN
  It’s ‘Black August’ in Russia, but Putin is sweeping this summer’s crisis under the rug
• DW.com
  Could Russia's growing fuel crisis help end the Ukraine war?
• BBC
  Rosenberg: Shortage of petrol but not patriotism as Russians feel growing impact of war
• Euronews.com
  Russia runs out of petrol at seven in 10 stations as fuel crisis worsens