Overview
- A renewed “second wave” of shortages in mid‑August prompted major retailers to reinstate per‑vehicle limits in Moscow and other regions, with Gazprom Neft and Tatneft capping gasoline sales at about 50–60 liters per customer.
- Ukrainian long‑range drone strikes damaged refineries and storage sites this month, including fires reported in Bashkortostan and outages in Orsk, contributing to Russia’s crude processing falling to multi‑decade lows in July.
- The Kremlin extended a temporary export ban on gasoline and diesel through Jan. 31, 2027, and has begun importing fuel that was sold on the St. Petersburg exchange to bolster supplies.
- Authorities approved production of lower environmental‑class fuels (Euro‑2/3/4) and redirected deliveries to hard‑hit regions, steps that ease immediate supply but carry pollution and engine‑damage risks.
- Officials including Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak say several refineries should return from maintenance soon and ease the shortage, but long queues, isolated violence at pumps and fines or detentions of critics mean short‑term social tensions are likely to persist.