Gasoline and diesel available at fewer than a third Russian filling stations, Izvestia reports
Gasoline and diesel were available at only 28.1% of Russian gas stations as of Aug. 16, according to the Kremlin-aligned newspaper Izvestia . A week earlier, fuel was available at 41% of stations. The figures are based on data from GdeBENZ, a crowdsourced service where drivers themselves add information about fuel availability, lines, and restrictions at specific gas stations. According to the…
As of August 16, only 28.1% of Russian gas stations had gasoline and diesel available, according to Izvestia. This is a decline from 41% a week earlier. The availability of fuel information comes from GdeBENZ, a crowdsourced platform where drivers report on fuel availability at specific stations. The decline in fuel availability was noted across multiple regions, including Volgograd, Chelyabinsk, Orenburg, Voronezh, Samara, Penza, Saratov, Lipetsk, and Rostov, as well as in Tatarstan.
On August 17, Izvestia visited 21 gas stations in Moscow and the Moscow region, finding AI-92 gasoline at seven, AI-95 at six, and AI-98 at five, but no diesel fuel. A recent source mentioned experiencing difficulty finding gasoline stations with available gasoline while traveling from northeastern Moscow to the Moscow region. The resurgence of fuel shortages in Russia began in August, following authorities' claims that conditions had stabilized in late July.
From August 10 to 15, at least six regions reinstated or tightened gasoline sales restrictions. Some regions implemented odd-even rationing, while others limited the amount of fuel a person could purchase. Russia's fuel crisis began in late May, primarily due to the aftermath of attacks on Ukrainian oil refineries. In the spring and summer, around 16 Russian refineries either fully or partially halted operations.
According to Reuters, as of July 10, Russian gasoline production only met 65% of seasonal demand, with a daily shortfall of 40,000 to 45,000 metric tons. Despite some refineries resuming operations in July, refineries with an annual capacity of over 45 million metric tons were still offline by July 20. The situation improved slightly in late July when regional authorities lifted restrictions, but new attacks and refinery shutdowns in August worsened the crisis.
On August 11, the Orsk refinery shut down completely after a Ukrainian drone strike, with authorities estimating that restoring imported equipment could take up to six months. In response to attacks on refineries, Russia banned fuel exports, eased environmental requirements for gasoline, sought to stimulate imports, and began importing gasoline.
The first shipment of Indian gasoline, around 42,000 metric tons, arrived in Murmansk in early August, although its delivery to the domestic market was delayed due to a price dispute.
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