Russia Imports Indian Gasoline Amid Fuel Shortages and Refinery Attacks

Russia has begun importing gasoline from India for the first time to address domestic fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries. According to Bloomberg and Kpler data, a shipment of approximately 42,000 metric tons arrived in early August from Nayara Energy, an Indian refinery backed by Rosneft. The fuel was transported via Russian linked tankers and transferred at the port of Damietta in Egypt before reaching Russia. Other reports indicate that Russia is also importing fuel from Belarus and may plan to import up to 400,000 tons of gasoline per month from various countries.

Ukrainian strikes have targeted numerous Russian refineries, including facilities in Volgograd, Yaroslavl, Ryazan, Perm, and the Taneko plant. One estimate suggests that a recent round of attacks since late July has partially or fully stopped capacities processing 7.7 million tons of oil per month. Bloomberg reported that crude processing rates in July fell to 3.6 million barrels per day, which is about a third below seasonal expectations. This decline in production has contributed to a drop in federal budget oil and gas revenues, which fell 17 percent to 4.6 trillion rubles over the first seven months of 2026.

The supply imbalance has led to visible shortages across several Russian regions. Reports indicate hours long lines at gas stations in at least 12 regions, including Krasnodar Krai, Voronezh, and Primorsky Krai. In the Orenburg and Lipetsk regions, authorities have reinstated purchase limits and odd even refueling systems based on license plate numbers. In Sochi, the city administration asked residents and tourists to avoid using personal vehicles. While the Russian government has not officially acknowledged a new crisis, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak held a meeting on August 11 to coordinate fuel supplies to the domestic market.