Freight costs are rising in Russia due to attacks on oil refineries, according to Reuters
Attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian oil refineries have caused a fuel shortage in Russia, prompting logistics companies to cut back on long-distance routes and causing freight rates to rise sharply.
Over the past month, fuel prices in Russia have risen by 16–18%.
As a result, transportation companies’ costs have increased by approximately 4.5–5.5%, forcing carriers to cancel some long-haul trips.
Valeria Savenkova, Commercial Director of Logistic Performance, said that the company has completely suspended interregional transportation.
“We managed to reorganize our logistics operations very quickly and discontinue long-haul routes. We no longer make deliveries between regions of Russia. Instead, we are focusing on shorter routes within the Moscow region and delivering cargo to the nearest ports,” she said.
According to her, in some areas of Siberia, where fuel prices have reached their highest levels, strict restrictions on fuel supplies remain in place.
According to Rosstat, in the first half of 2026, more than 70% of cargo in Russia was transported by road. Therefore, rising fuel prices directly affect the cost of goods and services and exacerbate inflationary pressures.
Vitaly Kiselev, chairman of the Commercial Transportation Committee of the Russian Association of Automobile Dealers, reported that during the most acute phase of the crisis in July, rates rose by an average of 12–15%, and on some routes, price increases reached 50%.
“There will be no reduction in fares—we can say that for certain,” Kiselev emphasized.
He explained that fuel accounts for about 30% of carriers’ expenses, and discounts for transport companies ranging from 7–12% have been completely eliminated.
Additional factors included higher tolls on federal highways, a shortage of drivers, and a seasonal increase in demand for the transport of perishable goods.
Fuel problems have also affected logistics from China—Russia’s main trading partner.
According to Georgy Vlastopulo, founder of Optimalog, trucks in the Trans-Baikal Region are forced to wait in line for fuel for two to three days.
As a result, the cost of shipping cargo from China to Moscow has risen by nearly a third—to 1.1–1.2 million rubles, or about $14,000. Previously, a similar shipment cost $10,000–11,000.
“We do not see a significant drop in prices, as the problems in the Trans-Baikal Region persist,” Vlastopulo noted.
Due to the fuel shortage, companies are seeking alternative delivery methods. Demand for rail transport from China has increased by 18–20%, and for sea transport by 10–12%.
At the same time, according to Vlastopulo’s assessment, even after fuel supplies stabilize, trucking rates may decrease by a maximum of 7–10%. Carriers will try to offset the losses they incurred due to fleet downtime.
Thus, the attacks on Russia’s oil refining infrastructure are already having a broader economic impact, affecting not only the availability and cost of fuel but also logistics, trade, and inflation in Russia.
This was reported by Reuters.
As a reminder, the Russian oil refinery “Orsknefteorgsintez” halted oil processing following an attack by Ukrainian drones on August 11.
Video: An oil refinery caught fire in Orsk following the attack.
Earlier, the General Staff confirmed a strike on the TANECO refinery in Tatarstan.
