Key facts
- Russia is negotiating to import gasoline.
- Ukrainian drone strikes have impacted Russian refineries.
- Several Russian refineries have been hit.
- Domestic fuel production and reserves in Russia are severely impacted.
- Rationing and long queues at gas stations are occurring in Russia.
- Ukraine's strategy includes targeting Russia's energy infrastructure.
Russia is actively seeking to import gasoline to offset the impact of Ukrainian drone attacks that have crippled its domestic refining capabilities. Multiple Russian refineries have been struck, leading to a significant reduction in fuel production and reserves. This disruption has resulted in widespread rationing and long queues forming at gas stations across the country. The Ukrainian strikes are part of a broader strategy to degrade Russia's economic and military capacity by targeting its energy sector. The full extent of the damage to the refineries and the long-term implications for Russia's fuel supply remain under assessment, but the immediate effect is a tightening of domestic fuel availability. The negotiations for gasoline imports indicate the severity of the situation and Russia's reliance on external sources to meet its energy demands. This development highlights the effectiveness of Ukraine's asymmetric warfare tactics against a major energy producer.