Russia is entering a fuel crisis: gasoline is being rationed, oil refineries are not managing to recover after strikes

In at least 15 regions of Russia, according to Russian media and open sources, various restrictions on the sale of gasoline are being introduced. Fuel problems are being linked to the consequences of regular attacks on Russia’s oil refineries, some of which still have not resumed operations or are not operating at full capacity.

Among the regions reporting restrictions or fuel shortages are Ryazan Oblast, Kursk Oblast, Belgorod Oblast, Pskov Oblast, Moscow Oblast, Leningrad Oblast, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Tomsk Oblast, Republic of Karelia, Murmansk Oblast, Voronezh Oblast, Oryol Oblast, Novgorod Oblast, Kamchatka and Samara Oblast.

According to Reuters, occupied Crimea has already tightened restrictions on fuel sales after Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure and supply logistics. In particular, there were reports of gasoline being sold by coupons, queues at gas stations and limits on fuel purchases.

Serious fuel shortages are also being recorded in the temporarily occupied territories. These territories and Crimea are especially dependent on Russian logistics, which after strikes on refineries and supply routes is becoming increasingly vulnerable.

According to Ukrainian and international media, problems on the Russian fuel market intensified after a series of strikes on oil refineries. In particular, Bloomberg reported that in May 2026 at least 16 Russian oil facilities were attacked, and oil refining in Russia fell to its lowest level since 2009.

Fuel restrictions in Russia show that the war the Kremlin brought to Ukraine is increasingly being felt back inside Russia itself — not only in the form of explosions at strategic facilities, but also in queues, coupons and gasoline shortages for its own citizens.

As a reminder, we previously wrote:

• Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) strikes and sanctions are blocking Russia’s oil exports: production fell by 300–400 thousand barrels
• Russian ports on the Baltic halted oil shipments due to attacks by Ukrainian drones
• In Russia again — a night of fire: four oil facilities are burning at once after UAF strikes
• Sanctions tighten the squeeze: Russia risks sharply cutting oil production due to overflowing storage
• Ukrainian drones struck Russian refineries: 17% of capacities taken out of service, Reuters reports