Most Russian regions are contending with some form of fuel problem, the business news outlet The Bell reports.
Fifty-three Russian regions have imposed fuel purchase limits on private vehicles, as have the Ukrainian territories Moscow annexed in 2014 and 2022.
In 18 regions, drivers may purchase no more than 50 liters (13 gallons), or one full tank if the tank holds less. The same limits apply in Crimea, the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics.
Shortages at a significant share of gas stations have been reported in 11 more regions, though no purchase limits have been imposed there.
In May 2026, Russia’s oil production fell to its lowest level in a year amid intensifying Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries and fuel depots.
The strikes forced nearly every major oil facility in central Russia to scale back or halt operations, Reuters reported in late May.
In Crimea, a fuel crisis began after Ukrainian forces struck fuel tankers and trucks transporting fuel to the annexed peninsula.
At Meduza, we are committed to transparency about our use of artificial intelligence in the newsroom. The story you’re reading was written by one of our living, breathing journalists and translated from Russian using an AI model configured to follow our strict editorial standards. This translation process is the result of extensive testing and refinements to ensure our English-language coverage is timely and accurate. A Meduza editor reviews every draft before publication.
If you find any errors in this translation, please contact us at [email protected].
To read Meduza’s exclusive content in English, please subscribe to our newsletter.
