Russian Businesses Warn of Rising Costs from Fuel Crisis

(MOSCOW) – Russian motorists in Moscow, the Moscow region, and along major highways are reporting a critical fuel shortage as regular drone strikes on oil refineries continue to disrupt production and supply chains.

Drivers are being forced to queue for hours, and in some cases days, at petrol stations where 95 octane petrol has largely disappeared from sale. Many are resorting to 92 octane fuel or diesel where available, while others are abandoning their vehicles for alternative forms of transport.

Videos shared on social media show long queues stretching for kilometres at filling stations. In one recording, a driver on the Moscow to Voronezh highway reports that no petrol was available at any station along the toll road. “Plan ahead and fill up in Moscow,” the driver advises. Another motorist at a Rosneft station near Voronezh reports that fuel is only being sold to holders of company fuel cards.

A woman at a Moscow petrol station describes visiting her fourth filling station in search of 95 octane fuel. “I have already lost hope of filling up with 95,” she says. “This is my fourth petrol station. I just need to splash something in because I am running dry.”

Another driver reports queueing for four hours without success. “I have been trying to fill up for four hours now,” he says. “I went to Rosneft earlier, but they would only sell to their own card holders. I have been sitting here for two hours now and they said there is a break until three.”

One man describes his father’s ordeal, saying he waited from 10:00 in the evening until 7:00 the following morning to fill his tank. “He stood there the whole day,” the man says.

The fuel crisis has also affected the Moscow to Voronezh highway, where drivers report that only diesel is available at most stations. “There is no petrol anywhere on the toll road,” one driver states. “Plan ahead and fill up in Moscow.”

A business owner warns that the economic consequences of the fuel shortage will be felt far beyond the petrol stations. “The war is ongoing, oil infrastructure is regularly attacked, production is falling, and petrol supply disruptions are occurring,” he says. “This is already our reality. But then the economics begin. Petrol becomes more expensive, delivery becomes more expensive. Delivery becomes more expensive, the cost of food, building materials, and services rises, including mine. Ultimately, the consequences of the strike on the refinery reach the wallet of a person located 1,000 km from the attack site.”

He called on the state to explain how the consequences of the war would not be constantly shifted onto ordinary motorists and businesses. “Reserves are needed, imports, stricter export restrictions, faster restoration of refineries, and strengthening infrastructure protection,” he said. “Because right now Russia is already forced to restrict exports and import petrol to stabilise the domestic market.”