The Fuel Crisis Has Spread To Russia's Railways
- 27.07.2026, 21:51
Russian Railways is facing a shortage of diesel fuel for its locomotives.
In Russia, the fuel crisis—triggered by Ukrainian Armed Forces strikes on Russian oil refineries—has now spread to industrial rail transport. According to the industry publication “Gudok”, operators of spur tracks (private railways) that transport cargo from factories, mines, and quarries to the main network of Russian Railways, have faced a sharp rise in diesel fuel prices, disruptions in wholesale supplies, and a forced shift to more expensive small-scale wholesale purchases. As a result, the “Promzheldortrans” Association appealed to the Ministry of Energy to ensure priority diesel fuel supplies for industrial rail transport enterprises, warning that this is a matter of survival for the industry.
More than 80% of all cargo in the country, including coal, metal, and products from the defense and chemical industries, is transported via private railways. In the first half of 2026, freight volume on the Russian Railways network totaled nearly 549 million metric tons, with each train requiring shunting operations on access tracks. Unlike the mainline network, where electric traction is widely used, industrial rail transport is critically dependent on diesel locomotives and diesel generators.
According to Promzheldortrans, companies are facing delays in fuel deliveries and problems with purchases on the exchange. In some regions, the price of diesel reached 150–180 rubles per liter—more than double the level at the start of the year. Moreover, as the association notes, the price jumped from 60 rubles in just one week. For companies operating under long-term contracts and regulated tariffs, such a price spike proved critical.
Farid Khusainov of the Higher School of Economics (HSE) stated that it is technically impossible for access-track operators to replace diesel. Pavel Ivanikin, president of the National Research Center for Transportation and Infrastructure, emphasized that diesel is necessary not only for diesel locomotives but also for auxiliary equipment that maintains the infrastructure. The executive director of Promzheldortrans Alexander Manyakhin proposed establishing joint working groups with the Ministry of Energy in the regions, which would manually determine the priority of diesel fuel deliveries to enterprises ensuring the uninterrupted operation of logistics chains.
According to Reuters estimates, Russia lost about 40% of its refinery capacity as a result of Ukrainian attacks. In the second week of July, gasoline production fell to 75,000–80,000 metric tons per day, compared to the summer peak demand of 115,000–120,000 metric tons. According to RBC, in June and July, full or partial restrictions on fuel sales were imposed in 80 regions, including Russian territories and occupied Ukrainian territories.