Authorities in at least three Russian regions are introducing restrictions on gasoline sales based on vehicle license plate numbers, a system designed to ease the consequences of a fuel crisis that has gripped the country following the shutdown of oil refineries after Ukrainian drone strikes.
The Nizhny Novgorod region will begin selling gasoline on alternating days starting July 9. On even-numbered dates, cars with license plates beginning with an even digit — 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 — will be allowed to refuel. On odd-numbered dates, cars with plates starting with an odd digit — 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9 — will be served. The restriction will apply to all gas stations operated by Lukoil, Gazprom Neft, and Tatneft, except for those on the M-12 highway, the regional government said.
The Lipetsk region is considering a similar scheme. The regional operational headquarters will discuss the issue on July 8, Governor Igor Artamonov said. He estimated the daily shortfall of gasoline in the region at approximately 500 tonnes and linked the deficit to damage at refineries and disruptions in their operations. According to Artamonov, most gas stations of the Teboil and Lukoil chains in the region are currently not working, placing the entire burden on Rosneft stations, and there is no reason to expect improvement in the coming days.
The first region to introduce such a system was the Oryol region, starting July 4. Governor Andrei Klychkov claimed that queues at gas stations were minimal on the first day and suggested the restrictions could be lifted on July 8. However, the regime was maintained due to the risk of a mass influx of motorists from neighboring regions where fuel is also unavailable.
The fuel crisis in Russia is a direct result of a systemic problem in oil refining. In June, according to data from the analytical company Energy Intelligence, the volume of oil refining in the country fell by 25% compared to June 2025, to 3.91 million barrels per day. This is the lowest figure in more than 20 years. Gasoline production dropped by 17% year-on-year, to 850,000 barrels per day.
The shutdowns of refineries are a consequence of large-scale attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian oil infrastructure. A recent example: on July 6, drones struck the Omsk refinery, the last major plant that had not been attacked before. According to Ukrainian OSINT sources, the primary oil refining unit (AVT-11) was damaged. The suspension of the plant was confirmed by Reuters sources. Hundreds of drones arrive in Russia daily, and the intensity of the raids is not abating — President Volodymyr Zelensky has threatened to increase the number of UAVs to thousands.
The fuel shortage is already affecting related industries. Farmers are harvesting crops with a delay of one to two weeks compared to the 2025 schedule; as of July 1, three times less area had been threshed than a year earlier. Fuel for agricultural machinery is becoming more expensive — its cost has risen by a third. Russia's largest online marketplace, Wildberries, raised its commission for sellers starting July 7, explaining the move by rising fuel prices. Retailers have asked the government to give them priority rights to refuel trucks that deliver food, warning of possible disruptions in food supply.
Meanwhile, federal authorities are seeking a solution. Refineries have been allowed to produce low environmental class Euro-3 fuel for the domestic market and may lower the bar to Euro-2. This will provide additional volumes but risks damaging modern cars. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak acknowledged that the situation is "tense" and linked it, among other factors, to unscheduled repairs at refineries.