While the AFU strike refineries, Russia attacks Ukrainian gas stations. What are the consequences of these attacks?

On Monday, two gas stations in Kharkiv were attacked by Russian drones. According to city authorities, two people were injured. Another attack on a gas station in Kryvyi Rih last week killed three people.

Russian forces began striking civilian gas stations with drones and missiles in April. Most of the strikes target gas stations near the front line, but the number of these attacks is steadily increasing.

During this time, Russia experienced two waves of severe fuel shortages, affecting almost all regions of the country. The petrol deficit arose due to Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries.

In total, Russia has struck at least 246 gas stations across Ukraine, says Oleksandr Sirenko, an analyst at the Ukrainian consulting company «NaftaRynok».

The Center for Information Resilience, a non-profit open-source investigative group, confirmed 114 Russian strikes on gas stations in July alone, whereas in June, according to the center, Russian forces carried out 66 strikes on gas stations in Ukraine.

Given the threat, the police issued special instructions urging motorists to leave gas stations during air raid alerts, and if necessary — to leave their vehicles.

«You can fix your car, but you cannot get your life back», — warns the police of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

The damage from such attacks is enormous, but most importantly, they pose a significant risk to civilians.

According to Sirenko, initially attacks were carried out using small remote-controlled drones, but then Russia began using larger, more expensive Iranian «Shahed» type equipment, which inflicts significantly more damage.

The cost of one «Shahed» drone is between 20,000 and 50,000 dollars.

«One gas station withstood five hits from «Shahed» drones», — says Oleksandr Sirenko. — «These «Shahed» drones cost more than the gas station itself».

On several important routes, for example, on the road connecting two major cities — Kharkiv and Dnipro, no functioning gas stations remain.

All gas stations around the settlement of Opishnya, located in Poltava Oblast, have been destroyed.

«You see our enemy's strategy. They want to deprive us of fuel», — says Mykola Raznyk, the head of the settlement. In a Facebook video, he explains that local authorities have started stocking up on fuel: they pour petrol into small containers and store them in various locations.

In Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, local resident and driver Kateryna Stakolya says that stricter rules are now in effect at gas stations — they must not operate during air raid alerts.

«Now everyone takes this into account, and it's not a problem. Safety comes first. If you can't refuel now, you'll refuel later. No queues or panic buying», — she said.

Stakolya believes that the goal of such attacks is to «terrorize society to force the government to capitulate or accept terms unfavorable to Ukraine».

In Ukraine-controlled areas of the partially occupied Kherson Oblast, almost half of the gas stations have ceased operations. The remaining ones are attacked by Russian drones «almost every day», says Oleksandr Talakonnikov, deputy head of the regional administration.

All gas stations in the town of Trostianets (Sumy Oblast), with a population of almost 20,000, have reportedly been destroyed.

Local authorities decided to dispense fuel from tanker trucks that constantly change their location to minimize the likelihood of an attack.

Ukrainians, it seems, are heeding the authorities' advice.

Oleksandr Melnychuk, head of strategic marketing at the BRSM-Nafta gas station chain, says that motorists no longer enter convenience stores at gas stations.

«They fill up the tank and try to leave as quickly as possible», — says Oleksandr Melnychuk.

His company lost eight gas stations due to Russian attacks, and two other damaged gas stations are being restored after the strikes.

To protect customers, BRSM-Nafta is building concrete shelters at its gas stations and covering them with drone nets. Additionally, the company has reduced operating hours and the number of staff present at some facilities.

However, so far, drone strikes have not significantly impacted fuel supplies. According to a report by the National Bank of Ukraine, 4% of the country's gas stations were damaged or destroyed, but this did not have a significant impact on the market.

«Increased sales in regions located further from the front line or the border with Russia compensated for the loss of sales at destroyed stations», — the report states.

In Russia, after Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries and other infrastructure, the situation is completely different.

As a result of the attacks, Russia faced a fuel shortage, which is observed in almost all regions.

The newspaper «Izvestia», loyal to the Russian authorities, reported last week that petrol is available at only 28% of Russian gas stations.

Unlike Russia, Ukraine does not rely on large oil refineries and fuel depots, as it imports fuel delivered by tanker trucks.

Ukraine also has many gas stations from different chains, so if one or more of them are targeted in a specific area, drivers have alternative options, says Oleksandr Sirenko.

«You curse and drive on to another gas station. Well, you'll drive 10 km more than you planned, but it's not such a big problem», — he says.

According to him, the war between the US and Iran has a greater impact on fuel prices in Ukraine than Russian strikes on gas stations. Additionally, usually the most important parts of gas stations — such as underground tanks with petrol and diesel fuel — remain undamaged after Russian attacks.

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