---
title: "Fuel Collapse in Siberia: Novosibirsk Introduces Heightened Readiness Mode and Restricts Vehicle Movement"
description: "⛽ The Novosibirsk region has introduced a heightened readiness mode due to a fuel shortage. The governor has banned officials from driving official cars, and citizens are advised to refuel only for the return trip. Causes: repairs at refineries and delays in RZD trains. 🚗🚫"
date: 2026-07-10T21:23:46.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/fuel-collapse-in-siberia-novosibirsk-heightened-readiness-mode
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Fuel Collapse in Siberia: Novosibirsk Introduces Heightened Readiness Mode and Restricts Vehicle Movement

![Traffic jams in Novosibirsk against the backdrop of construction: visualizing transport collapse due to fuel shortage](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/11/novosibirsk-rezhim-povyshennoy-gotovnosti-defitsit-topliva/novosibirsk-rezhim-povyshennoy-gotovnosti-defitsit-topliva-1.webp)

The Novosibirsk region has introduced a heightened readiness mode due to a critical shortage of motor fuel. Decree No. 312-p, signed on July 8, 2026, by the Acting Governor Konstantin Khashkov, effectively threatens the region's usual rhythm of life. Authorities are calling on businesses and the population to strictly conserve resources, while officials are instructed to virtually completely abandon official trips.

### Strict Economy: From Business to Officials

The essence of the introduced measures is simple and harsh: minimization of fuel and lubricant consumption. For commercial organizations whose activities are not related to the life support of the population, transferring employees to a remote work format has become not just a recommendation, but a necessity. Authorities understand that without a radical reduction in demand for gasoline and diesel, the situation at gas stations could become a dead end.

Special requirements have been imposed on the public sector. Heads of regional departments and heads of municipalities are instructed to put official vehicles into "emergency use" mode. Government vehicles can now only be driven on the roads to eliminate emergencies or ensure security. Other official trips, including inspections and business trips, are being switched to video conferencing (VCS). Officials are recommended to use public transport so as not to compete with residents for the remaining fuel.

### Survival Rules for Drivers

Citizens of the region have also been given clear instructions. Authorities recommend temporarily abandoning inter-municipal and inter-regional trips in personal vehicles. If a trip is inevitable, car owners are strongly advised to check the fuel level in the tank, calculating it strictly for the round trip. This is a preventive measure designed to prevent motorists from being stranded on the highway in case of the sudden closure of gas stations.

Similar measures have already been adopted in the neighboring Tomsk region, where the monthly consumption of departmental fuel reaches 15,000 liters. In the Novosibirsk region, the situation is developing rapidly, and authorities are trying to prevent panic.

### Crisis Causes: Repairs, Logistics, and Season

Economic analysts name three main reasons that have created a "perfect storm" for the Siberian fuel market. First, the region is experiencing a traditional seasonal peak in consumption due to the start of harvesting work in the agricultural sector. Tractors and combines require huge amounts of diesel fuel.

Secondly, key suppliers—the Omsk and Achinsk oil refineries—have reduced volumes of secondary processing and catalytic cracking due to unscheduled repairs. This has led to a drop in supply in the domestic market.

Thirdly, the RZD logistics network has encountered delays. The turnover time of fuel tankers on the Siberian Railway has increased due to the prioritization of transit cargo flows. Fuel physically does not have time to reach retail points.

### Restrictions at Gas Stations and Federal Reaction

Against the backdrop of these factors, in June and early July 2026, many gas stations in the region began introducing refueling limits. Individuals were allowed to receive no more than 30 liters of gasoline and 60 liters of diesel per vehicle. At a number of stations, the sale of high-octane gasoline was temporarily suspended at times.

The General Director of the analytical agency "InfoTek" noted that the situation is exacerbated by a lack of reserves in commercial storage facilities at oil depots. In response to the crisis, the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, together with OJSC "RZD", formed a special headquarters. Its task is to promptly redistribute fuel supplies from the Volga region plants to the regions of Siberia and the Urals to stabilize the situation and stock exchange indices on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SPIMEX).

The legal basis for such restrictions is Article 4.1 of Federal Law No. 68-FZ "On Protecting the Population and Territories from Emergencies of Natural and Technogenic Character". It empowers regional authorities to introduce a heightened readiness mode and regulate transport operations to prevent catastrophic consequences of the shortage.