Full Breakdown
Russia’s Fuel Crisis Deepens as Limits Return and Stations Run Dry
8/19/2026, 10:04:04 PM
Reimposed Purchase Limits and Shrinking Supply
In August, major Moscow-area chains reinstated strict fuel caps. Gazprom Neft limited regular gasoline to 60 liters (16 gallons) per vehicle, while Tatneft set 50 liters (13 gallons) for gasoline and 60 liters for diesel. The limits follow a brief rollback earlier in the month and reflect a “second wave” of shortages that have spread beyond the capital, according to the Moscow Times and NBC News.
Causes: Drone Strikes, Refinery Outages, and Seasonal Demand
Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries and storage hubs have forced the shutdown of at least 26 Russian plants, with seven still offline at the end of July and four more closed in August, S&P Global reports. Refining throughput fell to roughly 3.6 million barrels per day—the lowest since May 2002—before modestly rebounding to just above 4 million barrels per day, still about 30 % below the seasonal average, Rystad analysts note. The damage coincided with a summer travel surge, intensifying the supply squeeze.
Scope of the Shortage
United24media, citing the GdeBENZ tracking app, recorded gasoline availability at only 28.1 % of Russian stations nationwide on August 16, down from 41 % a week earlier. NBC News adds that gasoline sales on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange fell by roughly 20 % in early August compared with the second half of July. Prices have risen to as high as 120 rubles (? $1.50) per liter, and AI-95 gasoline is scarce even at the few remaining stations.
Government and Regulatory Response
Russian authorities have taken multiple steps: a ban on gasoline and diesel exports, lowered fuel-quality requirements, and increased imports to bolster domestic supply, as reported by NBC News. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) opened 41 antitrust cases against oil companies and independent operators between the start of 2026 and August 17, and issued 68 warnings, United24media notes. Fines have also been levied against residents who publicly complained about shortages, with courts in Volgograd and Perm imposing penalties.
Outlook
Analysts warn that the situation could worsen in early September when Belarus’s Novopolotsk refinery is scheduled for maintenance, a factor that may trigger another peak in Russia’s fuel crisis, according to Kommersant sources cited by Kyivpost.
