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2026-07-15 20:22:18
[Russia's Fuel Shortage Continues to Escalate; Government Plans to Prioritize Food Logistics, Dragging Down Economic Growth] ⑴ The Russian Deputy Prime Minister stated on Wednesday that the government has discussed prioritizing fuel supplies to vehicles serving large food retail chains, highlighting the authorities' anxiety over a nationwide fuel shortage primarily caused by Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and refineries. ⑵ According to industry sources and institutional estimates, after major refineries shut down due to the attacks, Russian gasoline production has fallen to only about 65% of the seasonal average consumption, a significant shortfall. ⑶ The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that prioritizing fuel for food delivery vehicles is to prevent food spoilage and avoid passing on additional costs to consumers; the authorities typically issue fuel cards to drivers. ⑷ The special task force established by the government to address the fuel shortage also discussed diesel supplies to the agricultural sector, while the Russian Central Bank had previously stated that declining fuel production would affect the country's economic growth performance in the second quarter of 2026.
