Russia faces severe fuel shortage in Irkutsk, queues last 12 hours

Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have caused widespread fuel shortages, particularly affecting the Siberian Federal District. Irkutsk has declared elevated alert status, and the National Guard has been deployed to maintain order in mile-long queues at petrol stations. According to The Moscow Times, fuel restrictions have been imposed in at least 56 Russian regions.

Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have triggered a major fuel crisis that has hit the Irkutsk region in the Siberian Federal District particularly hard.

National Guard deployed against fuel queues

Igor Kobzev, governor of Irkutsk region, announced that the region had declared elevated alert status to prevent escalation of the emergency situation caused by the petrol crisis. Kobzev asked the Interior Ministry and National Guard to ensure public order at queues forming at petrol stations, according to Meduza.

The region has begun limiting fuel sales at petrol stations, and the shortage has also driven a significant rise in petrol prices across the region.

According to the social media channel Special Kherson Cat, local journalists investigated how long people had to wait to fill up in Irkutsk. Visiting a petrol station owned by Rosneft, they found a queue stretching 1.3 kilometres long, and managed to buy petrol only after waiting nearly 12 hours. Several scuffles broke out in the queue during the day, eventually requiring police intervention to control.

56 regions under restrictions

According to The Moscow Times, as of last Thursday, at least 56 Russian regions had imposed fuel restrictions. Residents across the country are complaining about rapidly rising petrol prices and mile-long queues.

The situation is particularly acute in the Republic of Tuva, which also lies in the Siberian Federal District. "In some districts of our republic, petrol stations have no fuel at present, so people are driving to the capital, Kyzyl, to refuel," said one Tuva resident. Between 16 and 22 June, petrol prices in Tuva rose by 9.2 per cent, although local authorities have not formally imposed sales restrictions.

The Moscow Times notes that the Tuva region lacks adequate rail infrastructure, so all goods and oil products must be delivered by truck or plane, making supply lines particularly vulnerable.

"The coming autumn will be very harsh"

This is one of Russia's poorest regions, and the fuel price rise is hitting local residents' wallets hard. "For the past four years we have been stockpiling everything just in case. And it seems all of it was needed for today. The coming autumn will probably be very harsh. I won't even speak about winter, I'm afraid that soon there will be hunger," said a Tuva resident who asked not to be named, speaking to The Moscow Times.

Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure have intensified, and their impact on Russia's economic stability is becoming increasingly evident in the everyday lives of ordinary citizens.