Intense ukraine drone attacks pushed Russia into an unprecedented crisis that gives birth to chain effects. Figures are worrying for Kremlin

Almost 40% of the oil refining capacity was stopped in Russia following repeated attacks launched from Ukraine with the help of unmanned aircraft. The situation has generated a fuel crisis, tails for gas stations and price increase. Authorities have banned gasoline exports and has prepared to start purchasing it from abroad, the independent publication The Moscow Times and the Russian Financial Channel RBC.

Attacks with Ukrainian drones, which have hit at least 20 important Russian oil refineries since the beginning of August and until now, have thrown the Russian market in an unprecedented crisis.

On September 28, 38% of the primary oil refining capacity, or 338,000 tonnes per day, was inactive in refineries throughout the country, according to the RBC, which cites data from the SIALA quantitative information agency.

The total capacity available for gas and diesel production decreased by 6% in August and by another 18% in September.

The extent of the period of inactivity of refineries became unprecedented in history: it exceeded the record of August (23%, 206,000 tonnes per day), as well as the previous records established in May 2022 (196,000 tonnes per day) and May 2020 (164,000 tonnes per day).

According to Siala estimates, about 70% of the inactivity period was the result of drones attacks: by the end of September, they disabled about a quarter of Russia's oil refining capacity, or about 236,000 tonnes per day, according to the agency's estimates.

Several refineries stopped their production

In September, four other Russian refineries stopped their production after drone attacks, writes The Moscow Times.

These include Kinef in the Leningrad region, the second largest Russian refinery, and Rosneft refinery in Riazan, one of the largest five. The first ceased its activity on September 14, and the second on September 5.

Novokuibișevsk refinery also stopped refining on September 20, and the Gazprom gas processing plant in Astrahan on September 22nd.

As a result, the production of gasoline in September has dropped by one million tonnes, and the internal deficit reached 20% of consumption, a source familiar with the situation told Kommersant.

Queues to gas stations in Crimea

The fuel crisis has hit the most powerful Far East and Crimea, where sales of over 30 liters of gasoline have been banned since the beginning of the week.

In total, over 20 regions-from Sahalin to Nijni Novgorod region-faced the fuel shortage.

At September, the Russian authorities in Crimea froze the fuel prices and imposed the rationalization of gasoline.

🇷🇺 In Sevastopol, The Day Begins and Ends with Long Lines at Gas Stations. Some Drivers Even Spend the Night Parked Outside Pumps so They Don't Miss the Start of Fuel Sales. pic.twitter.com/o4oozdozvs

– Nstrike (@nstrike1231) September 28, 2025

The regional governor of Sergei Askionov said that Crimea drivers, annexed by Russia in 2014, will be able to buy a maximum of 30 liters of fuel one.

He also announced the freezing of prices for 30 days in different types of diesel and gasoline, a seemingly meant to minimize public dissatisfaction with this crisis.

Aksionov announced this measure on social networks, saying he had a meeting with oil traders to find crisis solutions.

“I ask the inhabitants of Crimea not to make gasoline stocks and feed their vehicles as usual,” he said.

Thousands of kilometers north of Crimea, in the historical city of Nijni Novgorod, located on the banks of the River Volga, the locals faced similar problems.

Increases inflation

Russian oil companies cannot do much to alleviate the crisis, said economist Vladislav Inozemtsev, quoted by The Moscow Times: Repairs of affected refineries could take months, especially given the sanctions.

The import of Western equipment used to modernize Russian refineries has been forbidden, and they cannot be easily replaced with Chinese equivalents, explains Inozemtsev.

In order to calm the crisis, the Government forbade the export of gasoline and has prepared to start its purchase from abroad.

For this purpose, import fees for gasoline, diesel and aircraft have been eliminated. Authorities will probably need to reduce environmental standards to encourage refineries to produce more fuel, according to a Kommersant source.

It would be a problem. The gasoline crisis generates an accelerated inflation for the Russian economy, warned Vladimir Cernov, an analyst at Freedom Finance Global.

The thick fuel prices have increased by over 40% since the beginning of the year, while retail prices increase by 11-12% compared to last year, exceeding the records of the last seven years.

“The increase in fuel prices inevitably leads to increased costs in agriculture, transport and logistics, which translates into higher prices for basic foods and goods,” explained Chernov.