[97502] Severe fuel crisis in Russia versus stability in the Ukrainian energy market

Fuel crisis in Russia vs. stability in Ukraine: Status report for June 24, 2026

While the Russian economic system deals with a growing shortage of oil products, the Ukrainian market presents an opposite picture of stability. According to reports on Ukraine NOW, which is associated with a pro-Ukrainian stance, the Kremlin has admitted to the existence of serious problems in supplying gasoline to the domestic market. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak admitted to Putin that refineries are operating at the "limit of their capacity" and are being forced to use emergency mechanisms that have never been used before.

The situation on the ground in Russia is deteriorating as prices skyrocket. The Реальна Війна 18+ channel reports that in some places, the price of a liter of 92 gasoline has jumped to 150 rubles, with a real fear of an increase up to 315 rubles per liter. According to UA Stream, another channel covering the war from a Ukrainian perspective, the impact of the shortage is reaching citizens' internet searches: the search for "how to siphon fuel" has jumped tenfold in the last three months, evidence of the growing transportation distress.

At the same time, the Ukrainian market enjoys relative stability. UA Stream notes that on June 24, slight updates were recorded in the price lists of gas stations, as chains such as Socar, UPG, and Ukrnafta made minor adjustments of price decreases in diesel and gas. At the same time, quality tests were conducted by the Institute for Consumer Expertise, which examined the efficiency of diesel in a variety of Ukrainian chains to provide drivers with a better indication of actual fuel consumption.