In St. Petersburg, nearly half of all gas stations have run out of gasoline
The gasoline situation in St. Petersburg has worsened—long lines are forming at gas stations, and some stations have run out of fuel. According to the “GdeBenz” service, as of September 11, gasoline could be purchased without waiting in line at less than 40% of gas stations, although in August that figure was close to 90%. The problems began after the shutdown of the large “Kinef” oil refinery in the Leningrad Region.
Serious gasoline shortages have resurfaced in St. Petersburg. Long lines have formed at gas stations, some pumps are out of service due to a lack of fuel, and drivers are spending hours searching for a station. As of September 11, the percentage of gas stations where gasoline could be purchased without waiting in line had fallen below 40%. Back in August, this figure was around 90%.
These figures come from the “GdeBenz” service and were analyzed by German economist Janis Klug. According to his data, nearly one in two gas stations in St. Petersburg had no gasoline at all. In terms of how rapidly the situation deteriorated between September 3 and 9, the city became one of the most severely affected regions among Russia’s major cities.
The problems began after the attack on the refinery
The fuel shortage began to worsen a few days after a drone attack on the “Kinef” oil refinery in Kirishi, Leningrad Oblast. It is one of Russia’s largest oil refineries and the largest in the country’s northwest. According to Reuters, the facility produces about 2 million metric tons of gasoline and 7 million metric tons of diesel fuel annually.
Both oil refining units were damaged in the attack. On August 30, the plant completely halted operations. This is particularly significant for St. Petersburg, as the plant in Kirishi is one of the city’s main suppliers of gasoline. After the plant shut down, supply disruptions began at gas stations. At first, drivers noticed isolated problems at some stations, but the situation subsequently worsened significantly. Now, some gas stations have no gasoline at all, and where it is available, drivers have to wait in long lines.
Drivers report waiting in line for hours
Local taxi drivers told *Fontanka* about the situation in St. Petersburg. According to them, the current shortage may be even more severe than during the previous wave of the gasoline crisis in July. One driver summed up the situation succinctly: “The line stretches for kilometers.”
Another said that gasoline can be found in the city, but there is very little of it. According to him, fuel is more often available at “Gazpromneft” and “Rosneft” gas stations. “You have to wait in line for about two hours,” the driver said. In other words, the problem isn’t just that some gas stations have run out of fuel. Even at stations where gasoline is available, it can take drivers several hours to get to them.
A similar situation has arisen in Nizhny Novgorod
The situation is unfolding in a similar way in Nizhny Novgorod. On August 26, the city was also attacked by drones. Following this, Lukoil’s “Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez” refinery emergency-stopped its oil processing operations. The impact on the local fuel market was significant. According to Janis Kluge, nearly a quarter of all gas stations in Nizhny Novgorod ran out of gasoline.
In addition, the percentage of gas stations where fuel could be purchased without waiting in line dropped from about 80% to 50%. Thus, problems in various cities arise following a similar chain of events: an attack on an oil refinery, a halt or reduction in production, and then disruptions in gasoline supply to gas stations.
Leningrad Region authorities acknowledge the disruptions
Local officials are also speaking out about gasoline supply problems. On September 10, Yegor Mishcheryakov, the Leningrad Region’s vice governor for economic development, stated that the fuel situation is repeating the scenario already observed in July. According to him, fuel supply volumes have been reduced at some gas stations. Disruptions are possible at certain stations.
The official attributed the cause to logistical problems stemming from attacks on oil refineries. “Due to logistical disruptions caused by attacks on refining facilities,” supply problems have arisen, Mishcheryakov said. He also said that the authorities have switched to a so-called “manual mode” of fuel supply management. This means they are attempting to control the situation directly by monitoring deliveries to specific gas stations and redistributing available fuel supplies.
So far, the authorities have not announced a complete halt to gasoline sales in the city. However, reports of gas stations running out of fuel and long lines indicate that the problem has already gone beyond isolated disruptions. For St. Petersburg, the situation is particularly sensitive due to the city’s market dependence on large oil refineries. The shutdown of one of the main suppliers quickly affected the operation of the gas station network.
Russian dictator Vova Putin dismissed the country’s fuel crisis as “inconveniences” and shifted the blame onto the government.
The fuel crisis in Russia has intensified following a new series of Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries. In the first half of August, at least nine facilities in the industry—with a combined capacity of 145 million metric tons per year—were attacked, and at least four were destroyed. Refining volumes are now one-third below the seasonal norm, according to Rystad estimates.
