Ukrainian drone and missile attacks on Russian oil refineries have deepened the fuel crisis across Russia, with gasoline purchases now banned in 53 regions and motorists facing long queues and rationing, the Wall Street Journal reports.Moscow oil refinery has been attacked twice in the same week. The International Energy Agency described the disruption as “unprecedented in the history of the Russia-Ukraine conflict”, saying the attacks had damaged an estimated 20 percent of Russia’s oil refining capacity.
Moscow refinery hit twice in a week
Ukraine attacked a Moscow refinery on June 16 and again on June 18, in what could be the largest attack on the Russian capital since the start of a full-scale invasion in 2022. Video footage showed multiple fireballs and black smoke over the facility in the Kapotanya district, which produces more than a third of the fuel supply for Moscow and the surrounding region.The June 18 strike damaged the Euro+ crude oil processing complex, which was commissioned in 2020 as part of the refinery’s modernization program, according to industry sources cited by Reuters. The unit consists of a crude distillation section with a nominal capacity of approximately 140,000 barrels per day, which is approximately 47% of the refinery’s total processing capacity. The previous strike on June 16 had already damaged another major crude distillation unit, responsible for about 53% of the refinery’s processing capacity. Satellite imagery published by Exilenova+ shows a heavily damaged storage tank with its roof blown off, as well as traces of firefighting activity in several key processing areas.
fuel rationing spread throughout Russia
According to independent Russian outlet The Bell, the ban on fuel purchases has spread to 53 regions of Russia and the occupied territory. Drivers are often limited to no more than a tank’s worth of fuel to prevent storage. In 18 regions, motorists cannot purchase more than 50 liters or a full tank of petrol per customer. Oil producer Tatneft has imposed nationwide limits at hundreds of its stations, with one location south of Moscow limiting sales of gasoline to 20 liters per car.The situation is particularly serious in Crimea. Ukrainian forces have attacked tankers and trucks carrying fuel to the peninsula, leading to rationing in late May. Motorists have reported waiting for up to three hours to refuel. Local authorities have implemented a QR code rationing system that drivers must present to receive their allocated fuel quota.
a strategic shift in war
According to the Wall Street Journal, “the Ukrainian attacks that are forcing Russia to limit its fuel” have demonstrated Kiev’s ability to reach targets hundreds of kilometers inside Russian territory. The strikes have caused the full or partial closure of many facilities, leaving more than 20 percent of Russia’s primary refining capacity temporarily idle.Vladimir Milov, Russia’s former deputy energy minister, said the attacks had become more effective as Ukraine targeted Russia’s largest and most modern refineries, which use hard-to-replace Western equipment.“These 10 to 15 oil refineries are a very narrow and vulnerable target. Simply put, attacking them would create a crisis,” Milov said.Following the attacks, Russian Railways established a special task force to ensure “uninterrupted supplies” of fuel to the regions. The Russian government has also banned jet fuel exports and extended provisions allowing refineries to sell domestically produced fuel that does not meet Euro-5 quality standards.Despite the growing crisis, Russian state television has played down the shortage, with a prominent pro-Kremlin host dismissing Russians posting photos of empty gas stations as “hysterics.” Moscow fined for publishing photos of effects of Ukrainian attacks.