Russian wholesale gasoline prices posted their sharpest weekly increase since July last year, exchange data showed, as fresh drone attacks on oil refineries raised concerns over fuel supplies.
In the week of Feb. 9-13, the national average wholesale price for AI-92 gasoline rose 6.9% to 62,431 rubles ($811.60) per metric ton, while AI-95 gained 5.8% to 63,545 rubles ($826.09) per ton.
AI-95 prices climbed to a two-month high of 63,787 rubles ($829.23) per ton on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange on Monday. AI-92 slipped 0.3% on the day to 62,096 rubles ($807.25) per ton.
Traders told Reuters the rally was driven by renewed drone strikes on refining facilities over the past week.
On Feb. 11, a drone attack halted gasoline production at the Volgograd refinery, one of Russia’s largest with annual capacity of 13 million metric tons.
Early the next day, another drone strike sparked a fire at the Ukhta refinery in the republic of Komi, located around 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) from the front line in eastern Ukraine.
Another market source told Reuters that information circulated on the exchange that the Volgograd refinery would suspend fuel shipments until March, though the exact repair timeline remains unclear.
Sources did not rule out the possibility that shipments could resume as early as next week.
Kyiv has repeatedly targeted Russian energy infrastructure, with Ukrainian drones attacking Russian refineries at least 81 times in 2025.
By early autumn, refining capacity losses were estimated at 10% to 20%, according to various assessments, and primary oil processing downtime reached record highs.
The disruptions last year triggered fuel shortages in several regions, with long lines at petrol stations and temporary rationing measures.
Crude supplies to refineries had fallen to a 15-year low by year-end, while oil companies’ losses from drone attacks exceeded 1 trillion rubles ($13 billion), according to industry estimates.
Read this story in Russian at The Moscow Times’ Russian service.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
