Russian Motorists Queue for Fuel After Omsk Refinery Attack

Following a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia's largest oil refinery in Omsk, long lines of motorists formed at gas stations across the city. The attack was one of Ukraine's most significant strikes on Russian energy infrastructure since the start of the war.

Reuters footage showed long but orderly queues at filling stations. A Reuters witness reported wait times of around 20 minutes, with fuel still available. Regional Governor Vitaliy Khotsenko said authorities had taken steps to stabilize supplies, while local media reported that one major private fuel retailer had temporarily suspended gasoline sales to private motorists.

In recent months, Ukraine has intensified drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure in an effort to disrupt fuel production and reduce revenues that help finance Moscow's war effort. The Omsk refinery, owned by Gazprom Neft, processed about 23 million metric tons of crude oil in 2025 and is Russia's largest gasoline producer.

Anatoly Seryshev, President Vladimir Putin's envoy to the Siberian Federal District, confirmed that refinery facilities had been damaged. He said no employees were injured and that the extent of the damage was still being assessed. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak described the domestic fuel market as “tense”, citing strong summer demand and a series of unplanned refinery outages.

(Reuters, bak)