Ukraine drone strikes force Russian fuel shortages, prompting long queues and government measures

Ukrainian drone strikes targeting oil infrastructure deep inside Russia have forced the shutdown of at least 25% of the nation’s refining capacity, according to energy analysts. The damage was described as "unprecedented" by the head of Russia’s largest oil company in a leaked letter to President Vladimir Putin.

The shortages have manifested in long queues at gas stations far from the front lines. In Irkutsk, a city in Siberia, motorists waited up to 18 hours for fuel, prompting local officials to provide portable toilets for those waiting on the road. One driver, Alyona Sadovnikova, said she and her family arrived at a station at 11 p.m. on a Friday and were able to fill up only at 5 p.m. the following day.

The fuel crunch has added pressure to an economy already strained by high inflation and steep interest rates. The Russian government has responded by banning gasoline and jet-fuel exports and importing gas from India to bolster domestic supplies. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak described the market as "not easy, but controllable," while Finance Minister Anton Siluanov denied that gasoline prices had spiked.

Despite official statements, gasoline prices have risen and some stations have closed. In the Krasnodar region, a local official reported that roughly one-third of stations are shut down. In Crimea, authorities have limited fuel sales to municipal and emergency services, with public sales halted unless surplus supplies are available. The region is also experiencing power outages and water shortages, prompting some residents to leave.