Russia has hit over 200 Ukraine petrol stations, media say

Russia has hit more than 200 petrol stations across Ukraine since July, Ukrainian media reported, as strikes on roadside fuel sites spread mainly through the east and northeast along routes leading to the front.

Near Izyum in eastern Ukraine, a petrol station was destroyed shortly after attendant David Akopyan said he closed the site because of the risk of bombardment and moved people away. He told AFP he heard the whistle of a missile as he reached his car.

The strikes have become a growing concern in areas close to the front, where residents told AFP they feared fuel shortages if they need to evacuate. Izyum is about 30 kilometres from Russian troops, and air raid alerts temporarily close stations several times a day.

Ukrainian energy analyst Sergiy Kuiun told AFP the attacks on roadside petrol stations had “no impact whatsoever” on the military because Ukraine's defence ministry has its own fuel supply system. He said station operators had restored about 80 percent of damaged pumps to service.

Ukraine's energy ministry told AFP in written comments that it suspected the purpose was to damage civilian infrastructure, disrupt logistics and make humanitarian and economic conditions harder before winter.

Ukraine also alleged that the strikes were accompanied by a Russian media campaign aimed at spreading panic and discouragement. Russia's position on the specific petrol station strikes was not included in the supplied material.

Since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia has regularly targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure, including thermal power plants, gas distribution and pipelines. The recent petrol station strikes have added pressure on civilian fuel access in towns near the front.