Russia has imposed limits on gasoline sales following attacks on oil refineries

After a Ukrainian drone strike on the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnaftorgsintez refinery in Kstovo, authorities in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Region restricted gasoline sales. Stations are limiting purchases to 40 liters per vehicle and have stopped selling fuel in portable cans. Refueling is also subject to rules based on whether a license plate’s first digit is odd or even, while vehicles registered outside the region face restrictions. To curb panic buying and protect local supplies, authorities have temporarily barred fuel from being transported out of the region, except for military and emergency-service needs. Police and the National Guard have been sent to gas stations.

The restrictions come amid attacks that have disrupted several Russian oil-processing facilities. The Kstovo refinery and the Novatek-Ust-Luga complex in Leningrad Region have both halted operations, while a drone strike in Ufa reportedly sparked a fire at the Bashneft-Novoil refinery. Residents in Ufa also said two facilities may have been hit at once. Together, the reported damage and emergency sales controls indicate that attacks on refineries are creating immediate pressure on regional fuel availability, prompting authorities to ration purchases and restrict distribution.