# Is Russia’s fuel crisis a temporary squeeze or the collapse of an industry?

https://mins.news/en/item/39275

- Meduza, 2026-08-31 20:22 UTC
- Economy
- Original: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/08/31/is-russia-s-fuel-crisis-a-temporary-squeeze-or-the-collapse-of-an-industry-two-leading-economists-debated-the-question-unable-to-agree-on-how-much-refining-capacity-is-left

> Economists Sergey Vakulenko and Vyacheslav Shiryaev debated the scale of Russia’s fuel crisis after strikes on oil refineries. Vakulenko estimated refining had declined by 25–28%, while Shiryaev said 65–70% of capacity had been knocked out and accused optimistic assessments of prolonging the war. They also disputed gasoline, diesel, and gas-station supply figures.

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