[85901] Fuel crisis spreading in Russia: Sale restrictions and service collapse at gas stations

The fuel crisis in Russia: Widespread restrictions and queues on the roads

A wave of fuel sale restrictions has been sweeping through Russia in recent days, following a series of drone attacks on energy infrastructure, most notably the "TANECO" refinery owned by Tatneft (Татнефть). According to reports by Varlamov News, which is associated with a critical stance toward the Kremlin, Tatneft halted refining operations in Tatarstan on June 12 and imposed strict nationwide quantity restrictions – about 30 liters of gasoline per private vehicle.

The restrictions are not skipping other chains. According to reports by Meduza (Медуза), the Rosneft, Bashneft, and TNK chains have also banned refueling into containers (jerricans), citing "high seasonal demand." At the same time, it was reported by Ateo Breaking that in certain regions, such as Voronezh, sales were restricted for fear of fuel smuggling to other areas.

Severe disruptions on transport arteries

Drivers are reporting "huge queues" on the M-11 highway connecting Moscow to Saint Petersburg, with waiting times for refueling reaching three hours, as published on Москва Live. While official sources, such as the Saint Petersburg Energy Committee, define the situation as "stable" and attribute the load to "logistical factors" and vacationers, opposing commentators such as Oleg Tsarov note that the situation is extremely unusual and includes a requirement for cash-only payments at many stations.

Investigations and economic analysis

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has opened an investigation against three oil traders – "Solid-Commodity Markets," "Agrotorg Yug," and "Hansel" – on suspicion of price fixing and profiteering during the crisis, as reported by Colonelcassad. At the same time, economic experts quoted by BBC News estimate that while this is not a complete collapse as seen in the autumn of 2025, the scale of the problem – involving about 33 affected regions – is very worrying for the Russian economy, which relies on stable fuel prices.