Ukrainian drones and Russian deficit: why Crimea and Rostov were left without fuel
25 September 2025 12:48
Since September 24, there has been a complete shortage of gasoline in the annexed Crimea: all brands have disappeared from gas stations, even the elite A100. Many gas stations are closing down in order to avoid spending money on staff without goods, Russian media reported.
Komersant writes.
People state that there is no gasoline at either large or small chains, there are long queues, and “empty” gas stations are often found on the highways.
In Rostov Region, the situation is less dramatic, but instability is noticeable: gasoline prices are rising faster than the Russian average.
Some gas stations are already restricting sales (imposing limits) or stopping them entirely for retail customers.
According to analysts, about 50% of gas stations in Crimea and Sevastopol have stopped selling gasoline.
In Rostov region, the number of gas stations selling gasoline has decreased by 12-14%.
Fuel companies and network operators are trying to “prioritize” their gas stations and supply them with the available volumes, while independent gas stations are in a worse position.
In Crimea, municipal transport often receives gasoline through coupons, with strict quantity control.
The price of a liter of 95th gasoline reaches 75-80 rubles and more.
In some cases, it has been reported that gasoline is sold only with coupons, or that it is not distributed in cans.
Analysts point out that the situation has already entered the longest period of shortages in Crimea since such problems began to be recorded.
As soon as there were reports of fuel shortages in the regions, many people and businesses started buying fuel “for future use”. This created an artificial shortage and put further pressure on supplies.
In an environment where stocks were already weakened, this quickly depleted the remaining stocks.
Some independent gas stations have already declared force majeure or stopped selling gasoline, as they received minimal volumes due to the decisions of suppliers.
In the Southern Federal District, the number of gas stations selling gasoline decreased by more than 14%.
This shortage has a number of serious consequences:
- Disruption of public transportation, logistics, and delivery of goods to settlements, especially remote ones.
- Rising transportation prices, which raises prices for goods and services.
- Excessive load on those routes and gas stations where fuel is still available – queues, disruptions.
- The emergence of a “black market”, resale of fuel at inflated prices, and possibly a reduction in the volume of canister distribution or sales “under glass”.
- Political and social discontent, especially among those who depend on transportation: small businesses, local residents, farmers, and the army.
The main reasons for this fuel collapse in Crimea and Russia are the Ukrainian army’s attacks on Russian refineries.
When a refinery or individual production units (e.g., columns, purification units, fractionation units) are damaged or destroyed, the refinery is forced to either reduce the volume of oil it processes or shut down altogether. This means that less gasoline, diesel, and other fuel fractions are produced for the domestic market. In the context of sanctions and import restrictions, this is critical.
Restoring damaged facilities takes time and resources. If the plant operates at a reduced level, the economies of scale fall and production prices rise. Fuel reserves that could compensate for the interruptions are quickly used up, especially if people or companies try to stockpile in anticipation of a shortage.
To top it all off, the Russian economy is already operating under international sanctions: restrictions on imports of equipment, spare parts, technology, and the ability to restore complex installations. This makes it difficult to repair, replace, or quickly restore plants. Thus, the strikes have a greater and longer-lasting effect than just temporary disruptions.
The ISW (Institute for the Study of War) notes in its analysis that strikes on key refineries could lead to gasoline shortages across Russia and cause macroeconomic instability, such as rising inflation and problems with domestic transportation.
