Russia Imports Petrol and Revives Euro 2 as Drone Strikes Deepen Fuel Shortages

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Aug 21

Long queues across Moscow and other regions have left drivers waiting hours for fuel, with one station showing 80 vehicles in line and some pumps running dry before customers reach them.
Ukrainian drone strikes on oil facilities forced unscheduled refinery repairs, worsening a second wave of shortages that officials are still struggling to fix through refining and logistics.
Russia has started importing petrol and temporarily allowed lower-grade Euro 2 fuel back onto the market, despite it containing up to 50 times more sulphur than Euro 5 and having been banned since 2013.
Vladimir Putin acknowledged the attacks inflict damage but said they have no critical consequences, even as shoppers, sellers and motorists face broader disruption from strikes on infrastructure and distribution hubs.
Recent polling and interviews suggest anxiety is rising inside Russia, with many people adapting to higher prices, fuel scarcity and drone attacks rather than expecting the war's impact to ease.