Russia’s deputy prime minister said on Friday that the fuel shortages in the country are caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on energy infrastructure.
Speaking to journalists in the country’s Tver region, northwest of Moscow, Alexander Novak said they must acknowledge that there are problems and shortages in the fuel market, and address why there are queues at gas stations.
“The shortage is due to obvious reasons, because our oil refineries are partially out of order for repairs due to (Ukrainian drone) arrivals,” Novak said.
Saying that authorities are doing everything possible to strengthen the security of oil refineries and ensure their production capacity is fully utilized, Novak added that Moscow’s temporary ban on gasoline and diesel fuel exports is aimed at “stabilizing the situation.”
Russia currently has sufficient fuel processing capacity, he said, adding that authorities seek to ensure additional fuel deliveries to Russian regions.
Due to recent Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, a number of facilities suspended operations for maintenance, prompting Moscow to impose restrictions aimed at stabilizing the domestic fuel market. Kyiv has said its strikes seek to reduce Moscow’s ability to sustain its efforts in the Ukraine war, now in its fifth year.
Earlier this week, Novak announced at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin that Moscow has imposed a ban on diesel fuel exports to “increase supplies to the domestic market.” A ban on gasoline exports was introduced by the government in April.
Late last month, Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian strikes on Russia's energy infrastructure had contributed to fuel shortages but insisted the situation remained under control.
"We are currently seeing a certain shortage, but it's not critical," Putin said, adding that damaged energy facilities were being restored quickly.
Separately, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at the end of June that Russia plans to buy gas from abroad to stabilize the domestic market, a rare step for a country that imported large volumes of energy resources only in the 1990s after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
