Russia Forced to Ration - Joe Blogs
Russia — the world’s biggest energy exporter — is now facing a shocking internal fuel shortage.
Across the country, from Crimea to Siberia, gas stations are rationing fuel, prices are frozen, and drivers are queueing for hours.
In this video, we look at how this crisis began, the damage from Ukrainian drone strikes, and the economic shockwaves hitting businesses and consumers.
As the Kremlin scrambles to hide the truth, one question remains — what happens when an oil superpower runs out of gas?
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:54 REFINING CAPACITY
2:08 RATIONING
3:45 PRICES
4:41 INFLATION
5:35 TRANSPORT
6:52 INDUSTRY
7:33 CONSUMERS
8:21 ECONOMY
9:02 RUBLE
11:17 GDP
12:35 SUMMARY & CONCLUSION
= new reply since forum marked as read
I couldn't resist DeepMind AI's input...
Overview:
While the Russian government denies widespread rationing, localized and sometimes official rationing of gasoline is occurring across the country in 2025. This is primarily a result of the extensive damage to Russia's oil refineries from Ukrainian drone attacks.
In addition, some regions, like Kaliningrad, have introduced food cards for low-income residents to address food inflation.
Fuel rationing
Widespread implementation: Reports indicate that fuel rationing is now affecting areas from Russia's western enclave of Kaliningrad all the way to Vladivostok in the Far East. Some regions have limited drivers to as little as 10–20 liters per visit.
Affected areas: Regions hit by fuel shortages and rationing include:
Moscow
St. Petersburg (Leningrad region)
Ryazan
Nizhny Novgorod
Russian-occupied Crimea
To curb the crisis, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak extended a ban on gasoline exports through the end of 2025 and imposed a new ban on diesel exports.
Impact of Ukrainian strikes:
The shortages are directly linked to Ukrainian drone attacks that have damaged multiple oil refineries, crippling Russia's refining capacity. According to The Economist, these attacks had disabled about 20% of Russian oil refining capacity as of October 2025.
Food assistance programs
Kaliningrad food cards: In December 2024, officials announced that the Kaliningrad region would introduce electronic food ration cards in 2025 for low-income residents, such as pensioners and large families. These cards are meant to address price hikes worsened by Lithuania's transport restrictions.
Consideration of price controls: In mid-2025, reports emerged that the Russian government was considering capping prices on staple food items like milk, eggs, and potatoes to combat inflation. However, economists have warned that such price controls could lead to Soviet-style shortages and long lines.
Underlying causes:
High inflation and rising food prices, especially for staples like potatoes and dairy, have put pressure on Russian households.
Poor harvests, supply chain issues, and limited access to equipment due to sanctions are cited as contributing factors.
Autocracies do this to their people.
Thanks for the ongoing war news, TT.
