The Gasoline Crisis Has Reached St. Petersburg
- 20.08.2026, 19:35
Following Moscow's lead, St. Petersburg has imposed limits on gasoline sales at gas stations.
Several major Russian oil companies have limited gasoline sales at gas stations in St. Petersburg, according to "Bumaga". In particular, Gazprom Neft has reinstated a 60-liter limit per transaction after lifting it on August 4, according to the hotline. Additionally, customers are not allowed to fill more than one canister at the chain’s gas stations. “Tatneft” has set a limit of 50 liters for AI-95 and AI-92.
Meanwhile, fuel shortages are being reported in the city. According to Gazprom Neft’s map, many of its gas stations are out of AI-95. The “GdeBENZ” service also reports fuel shortages at certain stations, including Lukoil gas stations. The company acknowledged “localized shortages” due to Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries.
Local drivers are also complaining about gasoline problems in St. Petersburg. “Most gas stations only have [AI]-92,” one of them wrote in a chat. Another confirmed the lack of AI-95 at a number of gas stations. “Gazprom [Neft] and Luchok [‘Lukoil’] are really struggling,” he said.
The day before, fuel sales limits were introduced in Moscow. “Gazprom Neft” limited gasoline and diesel sales to 40 liters per vehicle, while “Tatneft” set limits at 50 liters and 60 liters, respectively. AI-95 was available at only one “Neftmagistrali” gas station. The same grade, AI-92, and diesel were found at only two “Lukoil” stations.
A Rosneft hotline representative reported that sales limits for gasoline at all of the company’s gas stations across the country are set at 30 liters per vehicle; there are no limits for diesel fuel, and wait times at gas stations have increased due to heightened demand.
Fuel shortages in the Russian capital and the Moscow Region were already reported last week. Local residents reported gasoline shortages and lines at Gazprom, Rosneft, Neftmagistrali, and Teboil gas stations following another series of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. In August alone, at least four major oil refineries were taken out of service.
The second wave of the fuel crisis is gaining momentum not only in Moscow and St. Petersburg but throughout Russia: as of August 16, gasoline or diesel was available at only 28.1% of gas stations nationwide, whereas a week earlier the figure was 41%, according to “GdeBENZ.” Over the past week, fuel shortages were reported in the Astrakhan, Volgograd, Irkutsk, Chelyabinsk, Orenburg, Voronezh, Samara, Penza, Saratov, Lipetsk, and Rostov regions, as well as in Tatarstan.