Russia Imports 42,000 Tonnes of Indian Petrol as Ukrainian Strikes Cut Refining Capacity 40%
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · Jul 23
Russia Imports 42,000 Tonnes of Indian Petrol as Ukrainian Strikes Cut Refining Capacity 40%
3 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Jul 23
Summary
A 42,000-tonne petrol cargo from India’s Vadinar refinery is due to reach northern Russia on Sunday, marking the largest single imported batch since Russia’s fuel crisis began.
Ukrainian drone strikes knocked out about 40% of Russia’s refining capacity, forcing sales restrictions across multiple regions and leaving an estimated 50 million people facing shortages and long queues.
Kpler data showed the fuel was loaded on June 18, transferred off Egypt on July 6 and sent north aboard the Garnet; Reuters earlier reported at least 60,000 tonnes had already been dispatched from India.
Belarus also ramped up supplies, selling Russia 184,000 tonnes of petrol in June—three times May’s level and 184 times a year earlier—as Moscow sought emergency relief.
Imports and looser fuel standards have eased shortages in Moscow and St Petersburg, but queues of 50 to 100 cars are still reported in places including Astrakhan, Lipetsk and Voronezh.
As Ukrainian drones cripple Russian refineries, is the Kremlin's war machine finally starting to run out of fuel?
With Russia buying its own oil back from India, how long can this paradoxical lifeline last before new sanctions snap it shut?
In the race between Ukrainian drones and Russian repair crews, who is winning control of Russia's critical energy infrastructure?
Russia’s 2026 Fuel Shortage: Ukrainian Drone Strikes Disable 60% of Refining Capacity, Upending Global Markets
Overview
In July 2026, Russia faces an unprecedented fuel crisis, with over 50 regions reporting shortages and long queues for gasoline and diesel disrupting daily life. The crisis has forced some regions to declare a state of heightened alert and pushed Russia to import gasoline for the first time. This turmoil stems from Ukraine’s targeted strikes on Russian oil refineries, which have crippled refining capacity and broken the government’s promise of normalcy during the conflict. The resulting shortages are fueling public frustration, threatening key sectors like agriculture, and reshaping global energy markets as Russia shifts from exporter to importer.