Russia's gasoline output drops to 70% of domestic demand

Cars wait to refuel at a gas station in Russia. A series of Ukrainian drone attacks have forced major refineries to suspend operations, causing a fuel shortage. Russia's gasoline production fell to about 70% of domestic consumption levels by the end of August after a series of drone attacks forced major refineries to suspend operations, according to two industry sources. Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure in a bid to curb Moscow's revenues, creating a fuel crisis that has forced Russia to import petroleum products and maintain sales restrictions across the country. After a brief respite at the end of July, when some local authorities began easing or lifting restrictions on fuel sales, shortages returned to Russian regions in August. Gasoline production at the end of August dropped to roughly the same level seen in early July, at the peak of the first wave of a fuel crisis that had been building since May, according to sources.