Ukraine Drone Blitz Sparks Russia's Worst Fuel Crisis in Decades – 18-Hour Queues, QR Code Rationing, and Fistfights
Russians are facing the worst fuel shortages in decades as Ukraine’s intensified drone and missile strikes on oil refineries force drivers to queue for up to 18 hours, ration gas by QR code, and even brawl at the pumps.
The crisis has spread far beyond the front lines, reaching cities across Siberia and the Far East. In the Siberian town of Ust-Ordynsky, a police officer drew his pistol after a black Audi driver cut a five-hour queue, sparking a shouting match [191122]. Elsewhere, motorists have started fistfights while waiting for hours in line [190826]. One woman, Alyona, joined a queue at 11 p.m. and was not served until 5 p.m. the next day [190825].
Ukraine’s drone campaign, now striking Russian oil infrastructure at an unprecedented rate, has directly caused the shortages [189680]. Ukrainian attacks have targeted refineries, fuel depots, and oil terminals, including one near St. Petersburg [189625]. In response, Russia has introduced a rationing system: drivers must scan a QR code linked to their vehicle’s registration to limit how much fuel each car can buy [190912]. In regions with intact refineries, supplies are being hoarded rather than sold, creating a patchwork of scarcity [190912].
The shortages are also acute in occupied Crimea, where gas stations open without warning, then close as pumps run dry and prices spike [187626]. Resellers buy cheap fuel and sell it at inflated prices, leaving ordinary residents unable to fill their tanks [187626].
The escalating drone war is now hitting both sides: over the past two months, Russian drones have struck more than 150 fuel stations in Ukraine, directly targeting civilian fuel supplies [190949].