As a result of massive attacks by Ukrainian drones, the Russian Federation has lost a significant portion of its oil refining capacity. Estimates indicate that the country is unable to process about 1.1 million barrels of oil per day, which previously went to refineries for the production of gasoline and diesel fuel.
This is reported by Finway
Rising Fuel Shortages and Export Challenges
Due to damage to infrastructure, Russia is forced to increase its export of crude oil. Meanwhile, the United States is pressuring China and India to reduce their purchases of Russian oil. At the same time, in some regions of the Russian Federation, there is a gasoline shortage amid peak demand from the tourism and agricultural sectors. In particular, attacks by Ukrainian drones have incapacitated about 13% of fuel production capacity, as confirmed by various expert assessments.
The situation is exacerbated by Western sanctions, which since 2022 have complicated the repair and maintenance of damaged facilities in the oil refining sector. In just the last month, Ukraine has struck more than 10 oil refineries in Russia. The situation at the Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery was particularly telling, where the fire was extinguished only on the sixth day after the attack.
Escalation of the Fuel Crisis and Belarus’s Response
The fuel crisis in Russia has intensified to the point that, for example, in the Kuril District, the sale of gasoline at gas stations has been completely halted. Against this backdrop, Belarus has decided to limit fuel exports to the Russian Federation, redirecting supplies to more profitable foreign markets, including China, India, and African countries.
Analysts agree that the fuel crisis alone will not impact Putin’s strategic military objectives in Ukraine or his domestic power. However, any disruption matters in such a war.