Central Asia Hit by Fuel Shortages After Strikes Crimp Russian Supplies

Central Asian consumers and businesses are scrambling for gasoline and diesel as disturbances to Russia’s energy network, blamed on a growing drone campaign from Ukraine, spread shortages beyond Moscow and into neighboring states. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are reporting the sharpest effects, authorities say, while airlines and regional governments weigh emergency measures to blunt the impact during a peak travel and farming season.

In Bishkek, motorists have faced empty pumps and long waits at stations for higher-octane petrol. Regulators moved quickly to cap retail prices and are conducting spot inspections to prevent sudden price spikes, officials told reporters. Data from the first five months of the year indicate that roughly two-thirds of Kyrgyzstan’s fuel needs were supplied from Russia, leaving the country vulnerable now that Moscow has restricted exports to protect its own domestic stocks.

Across the border in Tajikistan, officials have so far avoided declaring an outright shortage, but consumers are already feeling the pain at the pump. Over a recent three-week stretch, the retail price of low-grade gasoline climbed by about one-tenth, with diesel rising by an even larger margin, local market monitors reported. Tajikistan depends on Russian imports for nearly all of its fuel; ministries are quietly exploring purchases from Iran and other suppliers to meet short-term demand.

Commercial operations are also being curtailed. Uzbekistan’s state carrier has trimmed flights to Russian destinations because jet fuel supplies are tight, the airline said. The move is expected to affect both passenger schedules and cargo links with Russia, complicating business travel and trade flows for the region’s most populous country.

Kazakhstan presents a contrasting picture. The country’s own production and refining capacity have so far left it with more than a month of fuel on hand, even as routine maintenance closes a large refinery in Atyrau until about July 10. Still, Astana officials are treating the episode as a warning. They’ve opened talks about buying supplementary fuel from China as a hedge against further disruption, a step that would mark a notable shift in regional supply chains.

The shortages stem from a wider disruption inside Russia, where intensified strikes on energy infrastructure have caused significant damage at facilities far from Ukraine’s front lines. About 55 of Russia’s 83 federal regions are reported to be experiencing acute shortfalls, affecting municipal services from waste collection to public transport in some towns. This month’s attacks included serious damage to a refinery in Ufa and harm to an industrial plant in Penza, underscoring how quickly supply shocks can travel. “If the campaign continues, import-dependent neighbors will be forced to diversify quickly — and that raises costs and political pressure at home,” said a regional energy analyst who requested anonymity. Governments in Central Asia now face a delicate balancing act between securing alternative sources and shielding consumers from steeper prices as the situation in Russia remains unsettled.