Russia is experiencing a fuel shortage following attacks on refineries and the railway

Russia is experiencing a fuel shortage following attacks on refineries and the railway

After drone attacks on the refineries, Russia faces rising gasoline prices and the threat of shortages.

This is reported by "Kommersant" and the Financial Times.

Since the beginning of August, wholesale prices have reached new historical highs, despite the ban on fuel exports for major producers.

Experts cite unplanned refinery shutdowns, accidents, overloaded transport infrastructure, high domestic demand during vacation periods, and significant exports to Asia before the restrictions were imposed as some of the reasons.

According to FT, the situation is exacerbated by Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries, which, according to "Finam" analyst Sergey Kaufman, have disabled at least 10% of processing capacity. Ukrainian strikes on the railway infrastructure in central Russia have caused delays in fuel transportation.

On July 28, the Russian authorities completely banned gasoline exports, but this did not help stabilize the market. "Even with the current export ban, domestic demand is not fully met. And the lack of published statistics on stock levels only increases market anxiety," noted Kaufman.

Gas station operators believe that following the increase in wholesale prices, the cost of gasoline for consumers may also rise.