Fuel shortage grows in Crimea due to strikes on refineries - intelligence reports crisis on the peninsula
Kyiv • UNN
In temporarily occupied Crimea, a fuel shortage has arisen due to Ukrainian strikes on refineries. The local population faces sales restrictions and transportation disruptions.
In the temporarily occupied Crimea, fuel shortages are growing, worsening the mood among the local population. This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, reports UNN.
Details
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine continue systematic combat operations against legitimate military targets of the aggressor state Russia, in particular against oil refineries.
The GUR notes that the consequence of such "long-range sanctions" by Ukraine has been a sharp reduction in Russian exports of oil and petroleum products. This, in turn, reduces the Kremlin's revenues, which Russia directs toward the war against Ukraine.
According to intelligence, fuel shortages are already being recorded in a number of regions of the Russian Federation, as well as in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. Moscow primarily ensures the needs of the Russian occupation army, neglecting the civilian population.
In a new intercepted communication released by military intelligence, a resident of Armyansk describes the difficult situation with fuel and transport in temporarily occupied Crimea.
"We have no gasoline. The trains run poorly. Eight hours from Armyansk to Simferopol by train. Minibuses don't run at all. Well, this started now, about two weeks ago. Apparently, everything will get worse by summer,"
The GUR emphasizes that the fuel crisis in the occupied territories is one of the consequences of strikes on infrastructure that supports Russia's military machine.
Context
As of June 2026, Russia is experiencing a worsening fuel shortage amid Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries, fuel depots, and logistics. Gasoline problems are being recorded in a number of Russian regions, with the most acute situation in temporarily occupied Crimea.
The fuel crisis in Russia is the result of a combination of several factors: systematic strikes on oil refining and logistics, seasonal demand growth, a reduction in available production volumes, and the priority supply of Russia's military needs.
According to Reuters, Russia is preparing to import gasoline by sea in June to curb the shortage after prolonged Ukrainian attacks on refineries, pipelines, and fuel storage facilities. For one of the largest exporters of oil and petroleum products, such a step is atypical.
Disruptions in gasoline and diesel in Russia are currently being recorded in approximately several dozen regions. Various restrictions on the release of fuel for private vehicles have already been introduced in 53 regions of the Russian Federation, as well as in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.
Fuel supplies this year are limited due to strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Russian oil refineries, pipelines, and fuel storage facilities. Among the recent attacks are strikes on the TANECO refinery and the Moscow Oil Refinery, after which both enterprises suspended processing.
It is worth noting that the number of drone strikes on Russian refineries has doubled since the beginning of 2026. This has led to a full or partial halt in oil refining and a reduction in the production of gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel.
The situation has become particularly acute in annexed Crimea. A fuel rationing regime was introduced on the peninsula, and queues formed at gas stations in Sevastopol and Yevpatoria. The occupation authorities of Crimea even temporarily stopped selling gasoline to civilians, leaving fuel only for state structures ensuring the region's security.
Thus, at the end of May, the occupation administration limited gasoline sales to 20 liters per car owner per week using prepaid coupons. After that, the coupons were quickly bought up, and drivers waited for hours at gas stations.
People tried to bring fuel from the Krasnodar Krai via the Kerch Bridge, but faced restrictions on the volume of its transportation.
Against the backdrop of the fuel crisis, Russian authorities are trying to hold the domestic market through administrative methods. The Russian government extended the ban on gasoline exports for producers until the end of July to increase domestic supplies during the summer demand surge.
In addition, Russia has relaxed fuel quality requirements, allowing certain refineries to sell gasoline and diesel with higher sulfur and other pollutant content on the domestic market. The Russian authorities view this step as a way to reduce the risk of shortages.
The economic consequences of the crisis are already being felt on the Russian market. The Central Bank called the temporary reduction in motor fuel production an inflationary risk.
How Ukraine is responding to the fuel crisis in Russia
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that in January-May 2026, the Defense Forces of Ukraine struck 15 Russian oil refineries. According to him, this caused a crisis in the Russian fuel market.
Also, on June 20, Zelenskyy confirmed a strike by Ukrainian drones on an oil refining facility in the Tyumen region of the Russian Federation, located more than 2,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
The Tyumen refinery is one of the modern Russian enterprises and produces gasoline and diesel fuel.