Russia faces second wave of fuel shortages after Ukrainian strikes cripple refining capacity

Ukraine’s sustained drone campaign against Russian oil infrastructure has done something that sanctions alone never managed: it’s making it genuinely hard for ordinary Russians to fill up their cars.

By mid-August 2026, fuel availability at stations across the country fell to approximately 28%, with queues becoming a regular fixture even in Moscow. Fifty-nine Russian regions had imposed active fuel sales limits, and the country found itself doing something almost unthinkable for a petrostate: importing gasoline by sea from Turkey.

Two waves, one deepening crisis

The shortages have arrived in distinct phases. The first wave peaked in June 2026, severe enough that President Vladimir Putin publicly acknowledged a “certain shortage” in fuel supplies, though he insisted the situation wasn’t critical. The second wave hit in August, driven by renewed strikes on facilities including the Ryazan refinery. Gasoline sales on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange dropped 20% in early August compared to July. Overall gasoline production has fallen by roughly 25% year-on-year, with Russia’s refining throughput now at levels not seen in over a decade.

The scale of the damage

At least 24 of Russia’s 34 refineries have sustained damage from Ukrainian drone strikes over the course of 2026. Moscow’s Kapotnya refinery remains offline and isn’t expected to resume operations until 2027 at the earliest. The Orsk refinery was fully shut down in August.

In August, Russia received its first confirmed seaborne gasoline shipment from Turkey, totaling 200,000 barrels. The Kremlin has responded with a mix of emergency measures: export bans on gasoline and jet fuel have been extended, government reserves are being drawn down, and officials have arranged additional import channels.

Cascading effects beyond the pump

The fuel crisis extends well beyond consumer inconvenience. Russia’s agricultural sector, which depends heavily on diesel during planting and harvest seasons, faces serious disruption, with farmers in multiple regions reporting difficulty securing adequate fuel supplies. The shift toward lower-grade fuel blends, as refineries operating at reduced capacity prioritize volume over quality, introduces engine damage, higher maintenance costs, and reduced efficiency.