Russian police have arrested citizens complaining about fuel shortages at petrol stations, with five residents detained in Volgograd for filming a video appeal to the head of Russia's Investigative Committee. The arrests are part of a broader crackdown on public discontent, with authorities branding the video recording an "unauthorised public gathering" and issuing fines. According to recent strikes by Ukrainian drones, nearly a third of Russia's major oil refineries have been knocked out since early August, severely impacting domestic production and leaving 50 million people facing supply disruptions. Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilyov has acknowledged the massive queues but insists that fuel remains available everywhere.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Russian police have arrested citizens who complained about fuel shortages, as well as others who filmed a video appeal to the head of Russia's Investigative Committee, demanding to know why local officials were using priority fuel cards while public pumps sat dry. The arrests took place in Volgograd, where the five individuals were issued fines for holding an "unauthorised public gathering". This crackdown comes as Russia faces fuel shortages due to ongoing conflicts with Ukraine, which has intensified its drone campaign against Russian oil refineries and infrastructure. As a result, many regions have reinstated purchase limits on fuel, capping sales at between 50-60 litres per vehicle. The strain on Russia's domestic energy grid has caused gridlocked traffic and long waits at petrol stations, with some drivers waiting up to 30 hours only to find empty pumps. Fights have erupted between drivers over fuel, and Russians are increasingly frustrated by the situation.
Written for “Fuel Shortages in Russia” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Russian police have arrested citizens complaining of fuel shortages at the pump, as Ukraine’s drone campaign sparked fighting at petrol stations and rationing.
asserted
campaign → arrest → stations
On Wednesday, Moscow and its surrounding regions were forced to reinstate purchase limits on fuel, capping sales at between 50 and 60 litres per vehicle.
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Moscow → surround → vehicle
As Ukraine intensifies its “deep strike” campaign, hitting another major oil refinery on Wednesday, the strain on Russia’s domestic energy grid continues to grow.
asserted
strain → intensify → grid
Across at least 12 regions, miles of gridlocked traffic now stall forecourts, with motorists waiting up to 30 hours only to find the pumps empty.
asserted
pumps → gridlocke → hours
The prolonged waits have pushed tempers to breaking point, with footage showing fights erupting between drivers over fuel.
But Russians expressing concern about the situation are now finding themselves subject to fines and arrest.
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themselves → prolong → fines
In Volgograd, police detained five residents after they filmed a video appeal to Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, demanding to know why local officials were using priority fuel cards while public pumps sat dry.
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pumps → detain → cards
Authorities branded the five-person recording an "unauthorised public gathering" and issued fines.
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Authorities → brand → fines
Alexei Sevastyanov, a lawyer who was handed five days in detention for allegedly resisting police during the crackdown, has criticised the Kremlin’s crackdown.
uncertain
who → hand → crackdown
Speaking to local outlet V1.ru, he said: “I think that intimidating people by saying that recording a video appeal requires approval from some administration is simply absurd.”
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recording → speak → administration
Similar intimidation tactics have been used in other regions.
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tactics → use → regions
In Perm, resident Lev Samolovskikh was hit with a 10,000-rouble fine for mentioning a planned protest in a Telegram channel with just 44 subscribers.
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Samolovskikh → hit → subscribers
The state’s response reflects just how deeply Kyiv’s aerial campaign is crippling Russian infrastructure.
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campaign → reflect → infrastructure
Since early August, Ukrainian drones have knocked out nearly a third of the country's major oil refineries.
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drones → knock → refineries
Recent strikes set ablaze a vital processing facility in Bashkortostan, while another attack shuttered a major refinery in Orsk — where repairs could take up to six months.
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repairs → set → months
The destruction has dragged domestic production down to multi-decade lows.
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destruction → drag → lows
In July, Russia processed just 3.6 million barrels of crude per day — a third below the seasonal average and the lowest level since May 2000, leaving an estimated 50 million people facing supply disruptions.
uncertain
Russia → process → disruptions
According to pro-Kremlin paper Izvestia, gasoline and diesel were available at just 28 per cent of petrol stations nationwide by mid-August, down sharply from 41 per cent the previous week.
uncertain
gasoline → accord → cent
While Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilyov has acknowledged the massive queues, he insists that fuel remains available and claiming diesel can still be found “everywhere.”
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diesel → acknowledge → queues
To stave off a total breakdown, the past months have seen Moscow resort to desperate stop-gap measures: extending export bans, quietly importing gasoline stockpiles from India, and slashing national production standards to permit low-grade Euro-2 fuel.
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Moscow → stave → fuel
Although Euro-2 had been banned since 2013 due to its high pollutant levels and potential to ruin modern car engines, officials have reauthorised it as an emergency measure to balance supply.
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officials → ban → supply
While deputy prime minister, Alexander Novak previously touted these moves as achieving "partial stabilisation," Ukrainian strikes relentlessly draining Russia's reserves, any brief respite appears to have vanished.
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respite → tout → reserves
