Russia's fuel crisis intensifies as Ukraine steps up strikes on occupied territories
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- Ukraine has carried out 300 drone strikes on trucks — including 30 fuel tankers — since early May, cutting military cargo traffic on the Rostov–Mariupol–Crimea road by 71% between late May and early June, per analyst Clément Molin and drone forces commander Robert Brovdi.
- Crimea is experiencing severe fuel shortages with residents queuing up to 10 hours; most petrol stations now limit purchases to 20 litres via prepaid vouchers, with Kremlin-appointed head Sergei Aksyonov admitting on 5 June that demand cannot be fully met.
- Russia's energy ministry acknowledged on 8 June for the first time problems with fuel supplies in 'the southern regions,' blaming 'enemy air attacks' and setting up a permanent HQ to address the disruption.
- Zelensky said Ukrainian strikes disabled nearly 40% of Russia's primary oil refining capacity in May, with the campaign now expanding from large refineries to smaller local distribution networks in occupied areas, per Harvard's Craig Kennedy.
- Ukrainian drone strikes damaged a key bridge in Chonhar in northern Crimea on the nights of 6–7 June and 8–9 June, suspending traffic on the R-280 motorway used by Russian troops and civilian vehicles.
- Commander Yevhen Karas of Ukraine's 413th 'Raid' battalion said his drones 'did not encounter much resistance from Russian air defences' during recent missions targeting Russian storage, fuel tanks, and officers.
- Pro-Kremlin channel Rybar acknowledged the strikes 'empty fuel stations for civilians' and 'affect supplies to troops in the south,' admitting the logistics crisis 'does not distinguish between military and civilian needs, it hits everything at once.'
Why it matters: Even pro-Kremlin military analysts are acknowledging that Ukraine's drone campaign is cutting military cargo traffic by 71% and emptying fuel stations for Russian troops and civilians alike. Russia's energy ministry was forced into a first-ever public admission of supply problems in 'the southern regions' on 8 June, and Russian-installed Crimea now rations 20 litres per customer.
