Russia faces fuel shortages and mounting public unease

Everyday life in Russia is growing harder: fuel shortages, squeezed wages and rising unease

Public mood across Russia has deteriorated as economic pressure mounts, with citizens reporting long fuel queues, stagnant job prospects and rising prices. Social-media users shared anonymized accounts of daily struggles; authorities' official polls show declines in optimism even as the government stresses stability.

Fuel disruptions, price rises and strained supply

Many contributors described long waits or fruitless searches for gasoline. One subscriber from Moscow's Pechatniki district said that after driving some 40 kilometres looking for a station with stock, he and his family turned back: "If there's any petrol at all, the queues are huge - from 50 to 100 cars." Another reader said, "Now you have to look for petrol at night. You are not always lucky. Often there is none at all. And when there is, the wait is two to three hours."

Attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian refineries have reduced available supply, officials and analysts say. A tracking portal reported strict sales limits in 66 regions from August 27, while a further 16 regions experienced local outages or sharp price spikes. The head of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Alexander Shokhin, has said refining capacity has fallen by almost one-third. Government measures—an export ban, increased imports and relaxed fuel-quality standards—have not fully closed the gap.

Official statistics show average retail petrol prices have risen by 7.4 percent this year, above overall inflation of 4.19 percent, though there are wide regional differences. Major oil company stations have generally raised prices only slightly and attract long queues; independent pumps often charge much more, adding pressure on household budgets. Despite shortages, there are not yet signs of mass panic; many drivers are adapting to intermittent supply.

Labour market signals are mixed. Rosstat reports a record low unemployment rate of 2.2 percent, but recruitment platforms have seen a surge in CV submissions while the number of job adverts falls—suggesting growing dissatisfaction among workers and fewer alternatives. Sectors such as automotive and coal mining are cutting hours or imposing mandatory leave. One subscriber wrote, "It is getting harder to find a new job. There are no new positions, and those that exist are either poorly paid or involve exhausting 12-hour shifts." Another commented, "I worked all summer for two-thirds of my salary. That covers food and the gym, and practically nothing else."

The mood extends beyond low-income groups. An IT specialist in Saint Petersburg described a long-term decline: "There are no sudden economic shocks, but a gradual decline that has been going on for ten years. Employment opportunities are limited, and finding a new job will be extremely difficult." A 54-year-old entrepreneur in Moscow recalled losing a service business for Western fashion brands after clients left in 2022; he later started production in Central Asia and Bangladesh for the domestic online market but says revenues have collapsed.

Personal planning has given way to short-term survival. A resident of Sakhalin island said prices are rising but daily life feels similar in some respects; many use VPNs to circumvent censorship and several people she knew have left the country. Others report withdrawing cash and buying dollars: "Nobody has hope for a bright future or a change of power led by Vladimir Putin. Everyone lives from today to tomorrow. Alcohol consumption has risen significantly, even in Moscow." Numerous respondents described growing social fragmentation: people retreat to small circles, avoid broad discussions about society or the war, and express anger toward the West or deep apathy.

Photo: press material from the event