Motorists are lining up at gasoline stations in Moscow and many other Russian cities as Ukraine’s sustained drone and rocket attacks on oil infrastructure tighten domestic fuel supplies, prompting fuel rationing in more than 50 regions and forcing Russia’s largest refineries to operate at maximum capacity.
Speaking during a meeting on domestic fuel supplies on June 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that the country’s largest refineries are operating at maximum capacity following repeated Ukrainian attacks on energy facilities.
The remarks reflect growing pressure on Russia’s refining sector after months of strikes targeting refineries, oil depots, fuel terminals and logistics infrastructure.
Among the most significant attacks were Ukraine’s twin drone strikes on the Moscow Oil Refinery in Moscow’s Kapotnya industrial district on June 16 and 18, forcing the Gazprom Neft-operated facility – the largest supplier of gasoline and diesel to the Moscow region – to suspend operations after its primary crude distillation unit was damaged.
In recent days, Ukrainian drones have also struck the Slavyansk-na-Kubani refinery in Krasnodar Krai, near Russia’s Black Sea coast, and Slavneft’s refinery in Yaroslavl, about 250 kilometers northeast of Moscow and one of Russia’s largest producers of base oils, further increasing pressure on the country’s fuel supply system. Following the latest strikes, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram: “Our ‘long-range sanctions’ reached two oil refineries in Russia. Each strike means a reduction in the resources that fuel the Russian war machine, and another step toward peace.”
Russia’s gasoline production currently covers about 80% of domestic demand, according to Western news reports. Energy Intelligence analysts warned that, if attacks continue at their current pace, Russia could face its worst fuel supply crisis in decades by year-end.
Russian independent outlet The Bell reported that, as of mid-June, fuel supply problems had emerged across much of the country. Temporary restrictions on fuel sales to private motorists have reportedly been introduced in more than 50 Russian regions, as well as in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.
Market participants contacted by Lube Report confirmed that fuel shortages have become increasingly widespread, although they stressed that lubricant availability has not been similarly affected.
“Yes, that is correct. There are certain difficulties with gasoline supplies,” one industry source based in Moscow said. “As far as I know, this is partly due to damage sustained by refineries during Ukrainian drone attacks.”
The market participant said gasoline supply constraints now extend across much of European Russia.
“Difficulties with gasoline are present throughout the European part of Russia.”
Retail restrictions and fuel rationing vary by region but have become increasingly common as authorities seek to preserve available supplies. Several sources, along with numerous videos on social media showing angry motorists waiting in long queues for hours, said drivers are often limited to purchasing no more than 20 liters of gasoline per visit, while filling portable fuel containers has been prohibited at many service stations. Heavy-duty vehicles are reportedly limited to 80 liters of diesel per refueling.
“Yes, at filling stations you can buy either no more than 20 liters or fill only the vehicle’s fuel tank, but you cannot fill gasoline canisters that you bring with you,” the source explained.
The severity of restrictions differs considerably between regions.
“Gasoline availability restrictions vary depending on the region. The strictest limitations are currently in Crimea,” the Ukrainian peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014.
The latest developments illustrate how Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign has evolved from targeting individual refining assets into a broader effort to disrupt Russia’s downstream fuel system. Since early 2024, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly struck crude distillation units, catalytic crackers, storage facilities, pipeline terminals and junctions, and fuel depots, periodically forcing shutdowns or reducing operating rates at some of Russia’s largest refineries.
The latest fuel squeeze suggests that remaining refining capacity is increasingly being utilized to compensate for damaged facilities and maintain domestic supplies. Operating refineries at elevated utilization rates, however, leaves less operational flexibility for maintenance or unexpected outages.
Despite the tightening fuel market, industry sources contacted by Lube Report said they are not aware of significant disruptions to lubricant production or supply. For now, the impact of Ukraine’s continued strikes appears to be concentrated primarily on the domestic distribution and retail supply of transportation fuels, while lubricant production and supply appear to remain largely unaffected.