Ukrainian drone strikes have repeatedly hit Russia's energy supply network, spreading a fuel shortage nationwide. In some areas, lines of vehicles waiting to refuel stretch for kilometers, adding to public inconvenience.
Britain's Telegraph reported Wednesday that gasoline shortages have deepened across Russia, with long lines forming at gas stations and queues reaching about 5 kilometers in some areas. In Chita, Siberia, some 900 vehicles were seen lining up for as long as 36 hours to refuel, according to the report.
The fuel crisis is attributed to disruptions in the fuel supply network after Ukraine concentrated its attacks on Russian refineries in recent weeks.
According to the report, as fuel prices have surged, gas stations in at least 55 of Russia's 83 regions are limiting supply. Farmers unable to obtain fuel are struggling to operate agricultural machinery, raising concerns that they may miss the harvest season.
To stabilize fuel supply, the Russian government has eased quality regulations and halted exports of gasoline and jet fuel. Russia, the world's second-largest crude oil exporter, has been reduced to importing the gasoline it lacks from countries including India, the Telegraph reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also acknowledged that the fuel shortage was occurring as energy infrastructure came under attack. In a media interview released late last month, Putin said, "It is clear that attacks on energy infrastructure are becoming a problem," adding, "There is currently a certain level of fuel shortage."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, expressing his intention to keep pressuring Russia's supply network, warned, "If Putin tries to sacrifice soldiers once again to overcome the current situation, the millions of Russians who have not yet been mobilized into the military and are lining up at gas stations to get fuel should think carefully about what lies ahead."
