Gas stations operated by Gazprom Neft and Tatneft in Moscow have reintroduced limits on fuel sales per driver, the companies said, as a second wave of Russia's fuel crisis reached the capital. Gazprom Neft's hotline first said gasoline and diesel were being sold in volumes of up to 40 liters per tank, then revised the limit to 60 liters. Tatneft said its stations cap sales at 50 liters of gasoline and 60 liters of diesel per driver.

Queues formed at many Moscow filling stations overnight and on the morning of August 19. The previous evening, AI-95 gasoline was available at only one Neftemagistral station in Moscow, the company's hotline reported.

Fuel sales restrictions were first introduced in Moscow in June and later lifted. Now the capital is experiencing a second wave of the crisis. According to the GdeBENZ service, as of August 16 gasoline and diesel were available at only 28.1% of Russian filling stations, down from 41% a week earlier.

Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev acknowledged queues at gas stations but insisted fuel was available and promised the ministry was "actively working to eliminate this problem."

The fuel crisis has persisted in Russia since late May. At least 16 Russian refineries, including those in Volgograd, Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Omsk, Moscow, Saratov and Syzran, have fully or partially halted processing this spring and summer. According to Reuters calculations, by July 10 gasoline production covered only about 65% of seasonal demand, with a daily shortfall estimated at 40,000–45,000 tonnes against consumption of 115,000–120,000 tonnes.

Between August 10 and 15, at least six regions reintroduced or tightened fuel sales limits. Kaluga, Lipetsk and Orenburg regions introduced alternating-day filling based on license plate numbers.

Industry sources told Reuters that the Kremlin had again launched a campaign to prioritize Moscow's fuel supply, redirecting volumes from eastern regions. Over the past week, fuel availability declined in the Volgograd, Chelyabinsk, Orenburg, Voronezh, Samara, Penza, Saratov, Lipetsk and Rostov regions, as well as in Tatarstan.