Aug 28, 2026
A record wave of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries has triggered renewed fuel shortages across Russia. Crude processing has fallen to near its lowest level in more than two decades, while motorists face growing gasoline shortages and queues.
According to Bloomberg on August 28, fuel availability had improved during a slowdown in Ukrainian attacks on Russian refining infrastructure in the second half of July. The recovery was short-lived, however, as Ukrainian forces struck refineries at least 21 times in August—the highest monthly number recorded so far.
The effects have become visible even in Moscow and the surrounding region, Russia’s largest and typically best-supplied fuel market. Residents have reportedly begun sharing daily information in community chats about which gas stations still have gasoline and how long queues are. Lines of 30 to 50 vehicles have become increasingly common in the capital.
The renewed pressure comes as Ukraine intensifies its campaign against Russia’s oil-processing sector, seeking to disrupt a key source of revenue and bring the economic consequences of the war deeper into Russian territory.
Russian oil refining has consequently fallen to near its lowest level in more than two decades, according to Bloomberg, citing EA Analytics, a division of consulting firm Energy Aspects. The country processed an average of just over 3.8 million barrels of crude per day in August, compared with the 5.3 million to 5.5 million barrels typically processed daily during the higher-demand summer period.
The decline has also affected fuel production. Gasoline output and deliveries to Russia’s domestic market fell by nearly 20% year-on-year during the first three weeks of August, according to a person familiar with the data cited by Bloomberg.
Diesel production fell by more than 23% over the same period. Domestic diesel deliveries, however, declined by only around 3%, largely because Russia imposed restrictions on most diesel exports this summer, keeping more supplies within the country.
Before Ukrainian strikes began significantly disrupting its refining sector, Russia was a major diesel exporter responsible for roughly 10% of global supplies. With export volumes now largely redirected to the domestic market, diesel availability has remained comparatively stable despite the sharp decline in production, the outlet reported.
The pressure on Russia’s refining industry continued on August 28, when Ukrainian forces struck the Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery in Yaroslavl, causing fires to break out at the facility following a drone attack.