Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries have led to gasoline shortages in Russia – Politico.
Ukraine decommissioned Russian oil refineries, which undermined export supplies from Russia and caused a sharp rise in prices on its domestic market.
Last Wednesday, two fuel storage facilities belonging to Russian energy giant Rosneft, about 500 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, were severely damaged by drones. This year, more than a dozen oil refineries in nine Russian regions have been similarly affected, with officials in Kyiv saying the industry is a legitimate target of war.
“It’s like a mosquito – when you can’t catch it, you can’t kill it, and it comes back night after night. It is exhausting. It’s a very good way to take the tension off the front line,” commented Philip Ingram, a former British military intelligence officer and NATO planner.
According to the publication, diesel prices for consumers have risen sharply in Russia. Compared to previous figures, they have increased by almost 10% in the last week alone.
Gasoline prices also hit a six-month high, up more than 20% since the beginning of the year. This is due to the fact that constant attacks on refineries are reducing fuel supplies, as more and more companies are forced to suspend production.
For Russia, the attacks on refineries are critically damaging, as the amount of fuel has decreased not only for civilian consumers but also for military equipment. In addition, due to the Kremlin’s ban on exporting fuel abroad, black market trade has significantly increased, which also harms the country’s economy and affects pricing.
Last year, Moscow was forced to impose a ban on the export of gasoline and diesel fuel due to shortages in the domestic market, where regulations have historically kept prices low to appease motorists and artificially stimulate the agricultural sector.