Strict Purchase Caps Return to Moscow Pumps
Fuel stations across Moscow and the surrounding region have reimposed strict purchase caps due to severe gasoline shortages, according to Reuters witnesses and fuel suppliers. The restrictions, which limit drivers to specific volume thresholds per vehicle, follow a wave of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries that began to gather pace in May and spread to most Russian regions by July.
Major Energy Firms Impose Volume Limits
According to a customer hotline operator cited by Reuters, Gazprom Neft has limited gasoline and diesel sales to 40 litres per customer at its automated filling stations in Moscow. At the company’s non-automated stations in the capital region, diesel remains unrestricted, while gasoline purchases are capped at 60 litres per vehicle. Meanwhile, Tatneft customer service representatives stated that its filling stations have set gasoline sales to a maximum of 50 litres per vehicle, alongside diesel limits of 60 litres, according to the Kyiv Post.
Other major energy firms have implemented similar supply controls to manage inventory. Rosneft, Russia’s largest oil producer, reported that gasoline sales across all of its domestic filling stations are restricted to 30 litres per vehicle, while diesel faces no volume caps. The company warned motorists to expect longer waiting times at the pump due to heightened seasonal demand. Lukoil announced it introduced purchase limits in Moscow and the surrounding region amid elevated demand and unscheduled refinery maintenance, though the company did not disclose exact volume caps.
Prices Surge as Premium Fuel Disappears
The shortages have driven up prices and emptied pumps across multiple chains. According to the Kyiv Post, AI-95 gasoline has climbed as high as 120 rubles ($1.50) per liter, while disappearing entirely from many stations operated by Gazprom, Rosneft, NefteMagistral, and Teboil. Data cited by RBC indicated that on a recent Tuesday evening, AI-95 was available at only a single NefteMagistral location in Moscow.
Refining Capacity Plummets Following Strikes
The compounding supply crisis stems from extensive damage to domestic refining capacity. S&P Global figures cited by the Kyiv Post indicate that at least 26 Russian refineries have been shut down, with seven remaining offline at the close of July and four additional facilities shuttered in August. Russian oil refining fell to approximately 3.6 million barrels per day—the lowest mark since May 2002—according to EA Analytics. Although output later recovered to just above 4 million barrels per day, Rystad analysts noted that production remains roughly 30% below the seasonal average.
Wholesale Strains Spread Across Regions
Wholesale markets reflect the tightening supply. Gasoline trading volumes on the St. Petersburg exchange have dropped by approximately 20% since the beginning of August compared with the second half of July. In an attempt to protect the capital from the worst of the deficit, Russian authorities have worked to redirect gasoline from eastern Russia to Moscow, Reuters reported. However, energy officials have discussed fuel supply strains in at least 10 regions, including Orenburg, Lipetsk, Tver, Krasnodar, Primorsky, and Krasnoyarsk, where authorities have tightened sales limits and a second wave of shortages is emerging.
Export Bans and Looming September Peak
To boost domestic inventories, Russian authorities have banned exports of gasoline and diesel, relaxed fuel quality standards, and initiated petroleum product imports. Additional pressures loom on the horizon as industry sources cited by Kommersant warn that Russia’s fuel crisis could reach another peak in early September, coinciding with scheduled maintenance at Belarus’s Novopolotsk refinery and several major Russian processing facilities.
