Key facts
- Russia is experiencing a critical gasoline shortage due to Ukrainian drone attacks on its refineries.
- The country is increasing fuel imports from various sources, including Turkey, India, and Kazakhstan.
- Ukraine's attacks are designed to impact Russia's revenue streams and domestic fuel supply.
- At least six Russian regions have reimposed or tightened gasoline sale restrictions.
- The Orsk refinery was completely shut down following a new wave of Ukrainian strikes.
Russia is grappling with a severe gasoline shortage, a crisis exacerbated by Ukrainian drone attacks targeting its oil processing facilities. The country, once a major crude oil producer, is now urgently seeking fuel imports to compensate for reduced domestic refining capacity. This situation has led to rationing at gas stations across several Russian regions.
In response, Russia has turned to a diverse range of import sources. This summer, it has received approximately 1 million barrels of gasoline from India, processed via Egypt, and recently purchased a 200,000-barrel shipment from Turkey. A sanctioned tanker, the Wendrix, is reportedly carrying oil from Turkey to a Russian Baltic port. Additionally, Russia has entered into an agreement with a refinery in western Kazakhstan to process its crude oil, with a significant portion of the refined fuel expected to return to Russia. Imports from Belarus have also seen a dramatic increase, rising by a factor of 141 in June compared to the previous year.
Despite these efforts, the fuel crisis has intensified in August, with at least six Russian regions reimposing or tightening restrictions on gasoline sales. The Orsk refinery was completely shut down following a new wave of Ukrainian strikes. Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak acknowledged the dynamic nature of the situation, stating that it is being monitored daily and decisions are made at a federal headquarters level.
Ukraine's campaign of strikes on refineries is strategically aimed at increasing the cost of the war for Russia. By damaging infrastructure and squeezing the oil industry, Ukraine is not only hitting a crucial revenue source for Moscow's war effort but also creating serious domestic shortages. Analysts note that refinery output had already dropped significantly even before the recent escalation. Experts predict that sustained pressure on Russia's economic foundations, including its energy sector, is intended to force a strategic recalculation by the Kremlin, even if it is a long-term endeavor.