Russia extends gasoline export ban as refinery strikes cause shortages

In late September and early October 2025, Russia extended restrictions on gasoline exports as fuel supplies came under growing strain. The move was aimed at keeping more fuel on the domestic market during the autumn harvest and peak demand.

The pressure stemmed largely from Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, which took part of the country's processing capacity offline for periods. Several regions, including Crimea and parts of the Far East, reported shortages, queues and limits on how much fuel drivers could buy at some filling stations.

The ban was one of several steps the government used to stabilise the market, alongside measures to support imports from Belarus. Russian officials generally described the situation as temporary and manageable, while wholesale prices on the exchange reached record levels.

The episode mattered because it showed how strikes on energy infrastructure were beginning to affect ordinary consumers, and it set the stage for later, wider restrictions on fuel sales by major companies.