Russia’s gasoline shortage after refinery strikes

The story so far

1. 

   Update 3Aug 28 17:36 UTC53 days later

   Ukraine's Drone Strikes Spark Russia's Fuel Crisis

   Record August strikes pushed Russian refining to its lowest in decades, leaving stations short, contracts unfilled, and Moscow hunting for imports.

   Still open after this report

   • No verified total for capacity offline beyond partial estimates.
   • No verified export-ban dates, diesel volumes, price-rise figure, or ration limits.
2. 

   Update 2Jul 7 04:53 UTCWithin the hour

   Putin Admits Russia Has a Fuel Problem

   After years of insisting the war was going to plan, the Kremlin has acknowledged that Ukrainian drones have crippled the country's refineries — and rationing is now spreading.

   Still open after this report

   • The exact share of Russian refining capacity currently offline; the precise tally of drone interceptions over Russian territory; any internal polling on Russian attitudes toward the war, mobilization or Putin's approval in 2026.
3. 

   Update 1Jul 7 04:18 UTC

   20% of Russian refining capacity is offline. Moscow is buying gasoline from India by sea.

   Ukraine's long drone campaign has pushed Russia, the country Europe used to count on for fuel, into the unfamiliar posture of an importer — and the sources disagree on just how deep the hole is.

   Still open after this report

   • Whether Indian refiners can sustain meaningful volumes to Russia, or whether early shipments are one-off triage.
   • Which share of Russian refining capacity is truly offline — sources range from "a significant portion" to 40 percent.
   • How the State Duma subsidy framework will be priced, and who ultimately absorbs the cost.