Fuel Shortage in Irkutsk Region: Authorities Link Issue to Drone Attacks
The Irkutsk region of Russia is experiencing a fuel shortage, leading to queues at gas stations. Local authorities partially attribute this situation to drone attacks on oil refineries.
In several cities of the Irkutsk region, including the Kirensky and Bodaibinsky districts, there is a shortage of gasoline. In Kirensk, only two out of seven gas stations are operational, resulting in lines of cars. The mayor of the Bodaibinsky district, Alexander Yumashev, explained the problem as being caused by delays in railroad shipments and drone attacks on oil refineries, although representatives of Russian Railways denied any involvement in the supply disruptions.
Fuel shortages were also previously observed in other cities of the region, such as Bodaibo and Taksimo, where fuel sales were limited to 30-50 liters per person. To address the situation, several railway tankers with fuel were delivered to Bodaibo on October 9.
This situation is partly a result of Ukrainian DeepStrike drone attacks, which have hit 85 significant targets in Russia over the past two months. This has led to a 38% reduction in refinery capacities and has sparked a fuel crisis. The situation has further exacerbated existing fuel supply disruptions in the Russian market, particularly in Novosibirsk and Berdsk.
| City | Number of Operating Gas Stations | Sales Limitation (liters) | Reasons for Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirensk | 2 out of 7 | – | Drone attacks, rail delays |
| Bodaibo | – | 30-50 | Supply shortage |
| Taksimo | – | 30-50 | Supply shortage |
