Russia is drifting into the worst fuel crisis in its history

Russia’s fuel crisis widens, tells Russian financial media The Bell.

According to the publication, the distribution of fuel to private cars is already limited in 53 regions and in the regions of Ukraine occupied by Russia.

A maximum of 50 liters of gasoline can be filled at a time and only directly into the car tank in 18 regions of Russia and in the occupied territories of Crimea, Sevastopol, Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk and Luhansk.

In addition, 11 regions are reporting fuel shortages at several gas stations, although official liter limits have not yet been set.

The main reason for the fuel shortage is Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russian oil refineries.

According to the Reuters news agency, by the end of May, almost all of the large refineries in Central Russia had reduced their operations or stopped them altogether.

After the attack on the night before June 12, the biggest refinery of the Tatarstan-headquartered Tatneft company in Nizhnekamsk completely stopped its production.

The Russian state news agency Interfax, on the other hand, reported on June 16 that restrictions have been introduced at all Tatneft stations. Rosneft, Bašneft and TNK have banned the sale of fuel in canisters throughout the country.

Breeding numbers down

International energy analysis company Energy Intelligence evaluatethat Russian oil refining volumes fell to less than four million barrels per day in the first week of June, the lowest level in 21 years.

Due to the strikes, almost a third, or about 2.14 million barrels, of the daily refinery capacity is out of use.

According to the company, the attacks in Ukraine have caused such extensive damage that Russia is drifting into the most serious fuel crisis in its history.

At the same time, wholesale fuel prices have risen sharply, reports the independent Russian media The Moscow Times.

According to the St. Petersburg International Raw Materials and Commodities Exchange, the wholesale price of 92-octane gasoline has risen by 30 percent since the beginning of the year, 95-octane gasoline by 33 percent, and diesel by 40 percent.

Lentopetrol’s Pörssikauppa, on the other hand, has been practically at a standstill since mid-May, and its price outside the stock exchange has risen to a record 113,000 rubles (about 1,340 euros) per ton.