Ukraine attacks leave regions of Russia running on empty

Katie Marie Davies reports on how drones are changing the face of warfare, as Ukrainian attacks on fuel infrastructure take their toll on Russia's economy

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AS stations have run dry in some regions of Russia after Ukrainian drones struck refineries and other oil infrastructure in recent weeks, with motorists waiting in long lines and officials resorting to rationing or cutting off sales altogether.

Wholesale prices on the St Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange for A-95 gas the highest-octane spiked to record highs last week, soaring to about 50% higher than in January, as demand soared from farmers seeking to bring in the harvest and Russians hitting the roads for their last big vacation of the summer.

Russian media outlets reported fuel shortages are hitting consumers in several regions in the Far East and on the Crimean Peninsula, which was illegally annexed from Ukraine by Moscow in 2014.

Media outlets in the Primorye region, which borders North Korea, reported long lines and prices of about 78 rubles per litre (approximately $3.58 per gallon) at gas stations in the area, where the average monthly wage is about $1,200.

Journalists at local news outlet Primpress found other drivers trying to sell gas online for as much as 220 rubles per litre (about $10.12 per gallon).

In the Kurilsky district of the Kuril Islands north of Japan, shortages of lower-octane A-92 gas forced officials to halt public sales outright on Monday. In Crimea, a popular resort area, some companies sold fuel only to holders of coupons or special cards.

Russia is no stranger to gasoline price increases at the end of summer. But this year's shortages have been aggravated by Ukraine's attacks on oil refineries in the three-and-a-half-year-old war.

Larger, more concentrated attacks are causing more damage and hampering production, all timed to coincide with peak demand.