Gazprom Neft and Tatneft have started rationing gasoline and diesel sales at Moscow filling stations after fresh Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries. Rosneft has capped gasoline purchases nationwide, in what has been deemed a second wave of fuel shortages.
Gazprom Neft and Tatneft have confirmed new limits on petrol sales at their Moscow filling stations, a rare step for the Russian capital. The move follows one of the largest drone waves of the war on the city, with at least 600 drones sent against the capital region on Tuesday, causing widespread panic and some casualties.
Gazprom Neft and Rosneft cap fuel sales
At Gazprom Neft's automated stations, gasoline and diesel sales are now limited to 40 litres, or 10 gallons, per customer. Its other stations leave diesel unrestricted but cap gasoline purchases at 60 litres per vehicle. Rosneft, Russia's largest oil producer, has gone further: it limits gasoline sales to 30 litres, about 8 gallons, per vehicle across all its filling stations nationwide, while diesel remains unrestricted. Both companies are warning customers to expect longer waits due to heightened demand.
Drones keep hitting refining infrastructure
Companies have cited unscheduled refinery maintenance as one reason for the delays, a vague reference to damage from Ukraine's drone campaign. On Wednesday, Ukrainian drones struck a refinery and a residential building in Bashkortostan, a region north of Kazakhstan that lies far from the Ukrainian border, regional head Radiy Khabirov confirmed. He said a unit undergoing maintenance was hit and that repairs would likely take a couple of days.
Kremlin acknowledges a 'second wave'
Russian officials began openly acknowledging a renewed crude oil shortage crisis late last week, after previously claiming the situation had stabilized. A Kremlin statement said oil companies are "taking the necessary measures to increase deliveries to the most vulnerable regions." The crisis has been labeled the 'second wave' of fuel shortages to hit Russia.
Moscow filling stations rarely see this kind of restriction, and now two of Russia's largest fuel retailers are enforcing it at once.
Source: Oilprice.com
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