Fuel shortages that began in Russia after Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries have now spread beyond its borders, with Kyrgyzstan formally requesting emergency fuel supplies from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The appeal, confirmed by Kyrgyzstan’s energy ministry, underscores the severity of a crisis that has left nearly 90 per cent of Russian regions reporting disruptions, forced rationing and the re-emergence of black-market trading. Kyrgyzstan imports 90 per cent of its petrol from Russia, and its move signals that the Kremlin’s ability to function as a reliable energy supplier to its traditional sphere of influence is eroding.

The immediate trigger is a sustained Ukrainian drone campaign against Russian oil refineries and depots. A Communist Party deputy in the Duma stated that one-third of Russian refineries are out of operation, though the government officially describes the shortages as a “logistical crisis.” Moscow has been compelled to seek emergency imports: India has begun seaborne petrol shipments, Kazakhstan has agreed to supply 50,000 tonnes in July and August, and Belarus is also a source. Paradoxically, much of this imported fuel is refined from Russian crude. The attacks have forced the Kremlin to authorise the production of lower-quality fuels and to dispatch police to petrol stations in Krasnodar and Irkutsk to prevent disorder.

The shortages are hitting the agricultural sector at a critical moment. Farmers in Russia’s main grain-producing regions fear they will be unable to harvest crops, while in some areas bus services have been cancelled and waste collection suspended. In Crimea, fuel is reserved for emergency vehicles, and the holiday season has collapsed. Public frustration is mounting: a Gallup poll recorded that 56 per cent of Russians are dissatisfied with their living standards, the highest in 20 years of surveys. In Central Asia, the effects are cascading. Uzbekistan has seen petrol prices jump over 11 per cent on the exchange since early June, and Kazakhstan, the region’s largest fuel producer, has tightened border controls to curb illegal exports, limiting vehicle crossings to once a day.

The Russian government has created a task force and Vice-Premier Alexander Novak has promised targeted measures for regions without major oil companies. President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the deficit but called it “not critical.” The next factual milestone is whether the import arrangements and domestic repairs can stabilise supplies before the harvest peaks, and whether Ukraine’s strikes continue. The crisis is also testing the resilience of Central Asian economies that remain deeply tied to Russian fuel, even as they seek to diversify supply routes.