Is Russia heading for a fuel crisis?

Fuel supply bottlenecks are tightening in Russia , after Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries led to fuel disruptions in several regions.

And this could just be the beginning, with pressure on the fuel market expected to increase in the coming months. If drone attacks continue at their current intensity and damaged refineries are unable to return to normal operations, local shortages could escalate into a broader crisis.

According to publicly available sources seen by DW, fuel supply disruptions have been reported in more than 10 Russian regions in recent weeks. Some fuel stations have imposed restrictions or halted gasoline sales entirely.

The situation in occupied Crimea is particularly tense. Fuel shortages ensued after recent drone strikes disrupted traffic along the so-called "Novorossiya Highway," which links the peninsula to Russia's Rostov region and serves as a key supply route for fuel.

This "logistical lockdown," as Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has described the strikes on transport routes between Crimea and Russia, has forced Russian authorities on the peninsula to impose strict controls.

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Premium gasoline is now only available in exchange for ration coupons. According to local media, major fuel station chains have stopped selling it to private customers for several weeks. Regular gasoline is limited to purchases of no more than 20 liters (about 5 gallons).

A few days ago, 15 filling stations in Russia's Krasnodar region on the Black Sea completely suspended fuel sales. This remains a small number compared to the roughly 1,000 stations in the region, according to data from the local authorities.