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Long lines at gas stations, fuel rationing and sharp price increases are being reported across the Moscow region as Russia grapples with growing fuel shortages following Ukrainian drone strikes on key oil infrastructure, according to analysts from the Carnegie Endowment and market data.
Experts say Ukrainian forces have struck Russian oil refineries at least 40 times since the beginning of the year. A significant share of the damaged refining capacity is concentrated around Moscow, raising the risk of fuel shortages in the capital region, UATV English reports.
The first major blow came on June 16, when a Ukrainian drone attack forced the Moscow Oil Refinery to halt operations. A second strike on June 18 reportedly knocked out the plant completely.
Owned by Gazprom Neft, the refinery supplied up to 40% of Moscow’s demand for gasoline and other petroleum products, according to various estimates.
The disruption has triggered panic buying and sent gasoline and diesel prices soaring. In some parts of the Russian capital, fuel prices have risen by around 30%, Bloomberg reported.
Efforts to compensate for the shortfall by transporting fuel from other regions are being hampered by limited railway capacity. At the same time, several other Russian refineries that could help alleviate the crisis have also suffered damage from Ukrainian drone attacks, preventing them from operating at full capacity.
Analysts warn that Moscow could eventually face acute fuel shortages and the introduction of rationing measures.
Moscow is one of Russia’s largest fuel consumers, accounting for around 14% of all vehicles in the country. The region also handles about 19% of Russia’s road freight traffic and roughly 40% of passenger transportation.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Forces carried out a series of strikes against the Moscow Oil Refinery and also hit the Gukovo oil depot in Russia’s Rostov region, where a fire was reported.
