10 June 2026
At least 25 Russian regions (excluding the occupied territories of Ukraine) have faced gasoline shortages and supply disruptions amid attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on oil infrastructure, according to the publication ” 7×7 .” Less than a week ago, on June 4, the number of such regions stood at 15, with restrictions also in effect in six regions captured from Ukraine: Crimea, Sevastopol, and the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia oblasts.
One of the main causes of the crisis was the attacks on oil refineries. According to Bloomberg, Russian refineries were attacked 38 times between January and May 2026, with 16 of these attacks occurring in May alone—the highest number since the war began. According to OilX, refinery utilization has fallen by 14% since the beginning of the year and remains approximately 20% below pre-war levels.
Regional authorities are reacting to the shortage in varying ways. Acting Governor of the Belgorod Region Alexander Shuvaev acknowledged the problem, while Head of the Krasnodar Region Veniamin Kondratyev called the situation “artificial hype.” Residents, however, insist otherwise. Under Kondratyev’s post on the Telegram channel “Tupodar. Krasnodar,” users are leaving comments like “A meme from the creators of the pristine sand in Anapa” and “I’d like to pee in your eyes.” And on the channel “Bel.Ru | Belgorod News,” the majority of reactions to Shuvaev’s comments are clowns and laughing emojis.
In the Krasnodar Krai, gas stations have already begun closing due to the fuel crisis . Meanwhile, in annexed Crimea, gasoline prices have skyrocketed: as of June 10, a liter of AI-92 gasoline cost about 82 rubles (compared to about 69 in Moscow), and AI-95 gasoline cost almost 90 rubles, compared to about 75 in the Russian capital. Resellers were offering fuel for 130–150 rubles per liter—50% higher than the official Crimean price.
Against this backdrop, on June 8, the Russian Ministry of Energy announced the creation of an industry headquarters to ensure the stable operation of the fuel and energy complex in the face of “increasing enemy air attacks.”
https://ru.themoscowtimes.com/2026/06/10/defitsit-benzina-ohvatil-25-rossiiskih-regionov-a197895