Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing a nationwide fuel shortage.Image: keystone
July 6, 2026, 5:55 p.mJuly 6, 2026, 5:55 p.m
Almost all of Russia’s 83 internationally recognized regions are facing fuel shortages due to expanded Ukrainian drone strikes. While the population stands in line at the gas pumps, the Putin regime is trying to counteract the lack of fuel, the destruction of the energy infrastructure and the increasing impatience among the population. That reports CNN.
On June 21, 2026, a state of emergency was declared on the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula and the civilian population was banned from purchasing fuel. The bottleneck spread like a wildfire across Russia. “CNN” analyzed messages from mayors and governors. Over 50 regions officially have a shortage, unofficially almost all are affected and at least three regions have declared heightened alert, one level shy of a state of emergency.
Cars line up at a gas station in Moscow.Image: keystone
As early as August 2025, there were fuel shortages in several Russian regions. Experts rate the current situation more negatively. “The main difference is the scale and persistence of the attacks,” Sumit Ritola, senior refinery supply analyst at commodity analysis service Kpler, told CNN.
Ritola currently estimates Russian gasoline production to be around 20 percent below Russian demand. Also because the repairs would not address the newly caused damage.
“The balance is shifting in the race between repairers and attackers,” says Sergey Vakulenko from the think tank Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. Not only has the number of Ukrainian attacks increased, but also the number of drones used.
Putin’s reaction
In a TV interview on Sunday, President Vladimir Putin cited increasing the production of air defense systems as the most urgent measure to combat the fuel shortage.
In addition to security policy means, the supply of fuel should also be secured. As Reuters reports, Russia has already started importing fuel from India. The country whose refineries were used to circumvent sanctions. But shortened maintenance work and possible export bans should also ease the tense situation.
There is a fuel shortage in almost all regions.Image: keystone
Shortage felt in the civilian population
The fact that Putin considers it necessary to give an interview about the fuel shortage shows his concern. Although he admits that there are certain bottlenecks, they are not critical. As “CNN” writes, this is intended to calm people down and avert panic buying.
There are purchase limits for fuel throughout Russia, writes “CNN”. Drivers stand in line for hours. Filling up with canisters is prohibited and people who sell gasoline at inflated prices on the black market will be punished.
This all comes at a bad time for Putin. The demand for gasoline and diesel is increased during the summer school holidays as many Russians travel during this time.
Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure are having an impact.Image: EPA
After the partial opening of the Strait of Hormuz, global oil prices are falling again. As a result, the high profits from Russian oil exports are no longer there, which Putin used to plug the hole in the state coffers, writes “CNN”. While the economy stagnates and defense spending continues to rise, this additional revenue is now missing.
“It’s kind of a double-edged sword. It affects public sentiment and fuels inflation,” says Alexander Kolyandr from the Center for European Policy Analysis. A military escalation is the most likely short-term consequence.
“From the Ukrainian perspective, it makes sense to escalate further because the strategy is working. On the Russian side, the sooner they escalate, the sooner they may be able to solve the problem. Because the money is running out and the population’s patience will soon run out,” says Kolyandr “CNN”. (Nile)