A viral video on social media shows a Russian woman explaining why she and a man drove to a gas station in Kazakhstan: “Just to fill the tank.” This reflects a new phenomenon in Russia: “fuel tourism” and “gasoline hunting.”
Since the beginning of the year, Ukrainian drone attacks have repeatedly targeted Russian oil refineries and fuel depots, from Crimea to the Baltic and Western Siberia, sending thick black smoke into the sky. While Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to resume peace talks, tens of millions of Russians face gasoline shortages, long queues at gas stations, and even arguments and fights.
Residents near the Kazakhstan border, especially along the Volga River, often drive hundreds of kilometers into the neighboring country—the richest oil nation in Central Asia—just to fill up. Kazakhstan’s government banned gasoline exports in late May, but border guards report intercepting hundreds of cases of fuel smuggling into Russia using plastic canisters, homemade containers, or large fuel tankers.
An anonymous businessman in Almaty revealed: “There is a lot of contraband along the border.” Despite owning three major Soviet-era refineries, gasoline prices in Kazakhstan have risen 15.6% this year. Other Central Asian countries like Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which import up to 90% of their gasoline from Russia, are hit hardest. Kyrgyzstan has had to adjust fuel prices and seek support from other former Soviet states. Experts predict that repairing Russia’s refineries could take months or even years.
Tajikistan is especially vulnerable, with domestic refining capacity meeting only 0.5% of its gasoline demand. The government has stockpiled fuel sufficient for at least 60 days and signed agreements to import 2.5 million tons of oil and gasoline from Iran. With help from China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Tajikistan is intensifying exploration for potential oil fields and expects to present survey reports by the end of the year.
Uzbekistan, a major car producer in the region, is also building strategic reserves sufficient for 2-3 months of winter use. Many Uzbek drivers have switched to compressed natural gas to save costs. Analysts suggest China is a major beneficiary of the crisis, as Chinese electric vehicle sales in Kazakhstan surged 36-fold between 2022 and 2025.
