Russia is banning fuel exports until the end of the year as gas pumps across the country and in Russian-occupied areas are increasingly running dry due to escalated Ukrainian drone attacks. Kyiv first ramped up drone attacks on Russian refineries, pumping stations, and fuel trains over the summer, targeting supply chains during a period of high traditional demand.
While Russian officials initially blamed the shortages on “logistical reasons,” the situation has only worsened in recent weeks. The Ukrainian Air Force reported striking multiple Russian fuel production sites and pumping stations this week, including a major Gazprom-operated oil refinery in Bashkortostan in southern Russia.
The export ban is the latest move by the Kremlin to address the crisis. Moscow first barred some gasoline exports in March, then extended the ban to all major producers in July. On Thursday, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced the embargo would be extended again, this time until the end of the year, and that some diesel fuel exports would also be prohibited.
According to the Russian state news agency TASS, Novak admitted there was “indeed a slight shortage of petroleum products” but claimed it was “being covered by accumulated reserves.” Russia is one of the world’s biggest producers of diesel fuel, making its exports a critical source of revenue.
The pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia reported that gas stations in several regions have begun to ration gasoline and diesel, allowing each customer to buy only a limited amount.
The situation appears to be the most severe in Crimea, the southern Ukrainian peninsula illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. The Russian privately-owned business news outlet Kommersant reported Wednesday that about half of the pumps in Crimea are now out of action due to shortages.
The Russian-imposed governor of occupied Crimea went so far as to admit the cause, blaming “reduced production” at Russian oil refineries without mentioning the role of the war.
Videos and images shared on social media show long lines of cars waiting at the few stations that still have supplies. The popular Telegram channel, Crimean Wind, reported Wednesday that Sevastopol was completely out of gasoline, noting that when two tankers arrived at one pump, they were emptied within a couple of hours. The channel also claimed gasoline prices had increased by about a third compared to the previous month.
