Kenneth Glad
Military developments can expose vulnerabilities far beyond the battlefield itself. Emerging accounts illustrate how logistical challenges may reshape the pace and effectiveness of ongoing operations.
Russian soldiers are walking long distances to collect food and water, buying gasoline from local residents and spending more to keep generators operating as fuel shortages disrupt frontline logistics, according to the independent Russian outlet Verstka.
Unnamed soldiers from several units talks about uneven rationing that affects military vehicles as well as trucks transporting ammunition and provisions.
One soldier in the Zaporizhzhia sector says the fuel allowance for supply journeys has fallen from 20 liters to between 10 and 15 liters. Members of his unit sometimes walk 11 kilometers to obtain essential supplies.
Another soldier estimated that deliveries to his unit had declined by approximately 30 percent.
“The gasoline situation is completely f***ed. Not enough is being allocated to everyone. There’s a catastrophic shortage of gasoline,” a third soldier told Verstka.
Informal sources fill shortages
According to the accounts collected by Verstka, personnel have tried to close supply gaps through purchases from local residents and gasoline brought back by colleagues returning from leave. Some civilian sellers were charging between 200 and 300 rubles per liter (roughly €2.25 to €3.40),.
Soldiers said official allocations cover military vehicles but exclude generators, private vehicles and some other equipment used around their positions.
Generators provide electricity for communications and water systems, making their fuel costs an operational concern. A soldier near Russia’s Kursk region estimated that his monthly spending could increase from 50,000 to 70,000 rubles, or roughly €560 to €790.
A volunteer organization in Sergiev Posad also sought fuel donations.
“We’re in touch with the guys – they’re in a complete mess with gasoline,” the group wrote. “If anyone can, and more importantly wants to, donate a canister of gasoline, we’d be very grateful.”
Refinery losses reach units
The reported rationing comes as Ukrainian attacks reduce output across Russia’s refining network, although shortages may not affect every region or military formation equally.
Bloomberg reports that Russian crude processing fell to 3.91 million barrels per day in July 2026, more than 1.4 million below the previous year’s average.
Ukraine’s General Staff claims that strikes have disabled 42.7 percent of projected refining capacity. Bloomberg estimates that 24 of Russia’s 34 major refineries have been targeted in about 50 attacks over approximately 100 days.
A July 6 strike forced the Omsk refinery offline, according to Reuters. Russia has also introduced successive restrictions on gasoline, jet fuel and diesel exports as shortages inside the country have worsened.
Kyiv says the campaign is intended to encourage negotiations. In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia would seek to capture additional Ukrainian territory.
Sources: Verstka, Bloomberg, Reuters
