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The Ukrainian long-range campaign against the Russian oil industry is creating an increasing fuel shortage across Russia.
Ukraine is waging a long-range campaign targeting Russia’s oil and gas industry.
As recently as Sunday, June 28, Ukrainian forces managed to hit two Russian oil refineries: one 300 kilometers from the front line, the other 700 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
The goal of the campaign is threefold:
First, it seeks to deprive the Russian war machine of fuel, making it harder for Russian logistics forces to supply the front line and giving Ukrainian defenders an advantage.
The second goal is to drain the Russian war chest of key export revenue, making it increasingly difficult for the Kremlin to pay for its war effort.
The third goal is to create domestic pressure against the Kremlin by making the Russian population feel that their country is actually at war — a situation the Kremlin is trying to keep hidden from as many Russians as possible, instead calling the war in Ukraine a “special military operation.”
Following the Ukrainian campaign, more and more Russian regions are restricting the sale of fuel to both citizens and companies, which has now created a black market, as is evident from recent events in the Irkutsk region.
Emergency limits imposed
According to the regional Ministry of Internal Affairs, Governor Igor Kobzev declared a state of high alert on June 28 due to severe fuel shortages.
The strict emergency order drastically altered how citizens buy fuel in the Angara region. Under the temporary rules, officials limited fuel sales to just 50 liters per vehicle for each fill-up.
Beyond that, the state completely banned people from filling any separate containers, meaning drivers can only pump gas directly into their vehicle tanks.
To ease the sudden strain on transportation networks, the governor also targeted local workplaces. Kobzev advised non-essential businesses to shift as many employees as possible to remote work to keep cars off the roads.
Busted at the pump
But where there is scarcity, illegal business often follows. The Russian business newspaper Kommersant reported that police officers in Irkutsk launched a swift crackdown over a 24-hour period, successfully stopping four separate cases of illegal gasoline resale.
The regional Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that opportunistic sellers were caught reselling fuel at massively inflated prices. One textbook bust happened right next to a regular gas station, while three other individuals used messaging apps and online classified sites to find desperate buyers.
In one prominent case, a 20-year-old resident was caught using an online platform to sell fuel for a staggering 250 rubles per liter. Law enforcement quickly halted the operation and warned that efforts to suppress this underground trade will continue.
The authorities are now using strict legal codes to punish those exploiting the shortage. Every detained individual faces administrative charges for running an unregistered business without a license.
Additionally, police reminded the public that anyone trying to bypass the rules by filling canisters will face separate penalties under emergency conduct laws.
