What happened
A second wave of fuel shortages spread across Russian regions through August 2026. Purchase limits returned at filling stations in Moscow and the surrounding region — Rosneft capping regular petrol at 30 litres per vehicle nationally, Gazprom Neft at 40 litres at automated stations and 60 elsewhere, Tatneft at 50 — while several regions ran odd-even number-plate rationing. The caps were overwhelmingly on petrol: Rosneft and Gazprom Neft left diesel unrestricted, and Tatneft alone capped diesel, at 60 litres. Reuters attributed the shortages to three simultaneous causes: Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries, elevated seasonal demand and unscheduled refinery maintenance. Russia had banned petrol, diesel and jet exports, eased fuel-quality standards and begun importing refined product; a 42,000-tonne gasoline cargo from Nayara Energy in India — a refiner part owned by Rosneft — reached a Russian port on 5 August.
The point at which the deep-strike campaign's effect becomes visible in a place other than export revenue. Russia's crude production and crude export earnings held broadly steady through the same period; what fell was refined product, whose export loadings hit a record low. The distinction that matters is between having oil and having usable fuel, and it is the reason this module records refining as a separate constraint rather than as part of the oil file. It is not evidence that Russia is running out of crude, that its refining sector has collapsed, or that strikes are the sole cause.
Confidence: High
See this event in the timeline Interactive: select this record and follow what connects to it.