With a nearly empty tank, Daria's car kept stalling as it inched forward in a long line at a filling station in Russia's Leningrad region which surrounds St Petersburg.

From Russia's former imperial capital, on the Baltic Sea, to Siberia, Russians are facing hours-long lines to refuel, as intensifying Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure squeeze domestic fuel supplies and test public morale.

"I don't know if I'll make it to the filling station. Since they won't sell fuel in canisters, I'll probably have to leave the car right here," Daria said with an anxious laugh.

Other drivers in line lamented how the long waits had become a part of daily life. "We really feel the (fuel) situation is getting tight. That’s it. It’s very sad," said Viktoria, who like Daria gave only her first name.

Most Russian regions imposed some form of fuel restrictions in June, limiting how much gasoline or diesel drivers can buy at a time. Tight supply means filling stations regularly run out and place 'Out of Order' signs on pumps.

In late June, President Vladimir Putin promised measures to stabilize the market, while the authorities have urged calm, saying supply chain issues are being tackled promptly.

Despite those assurances, the shortages are proving disruptive. Russians saw Ukraine's long-range drone attacks and fuel issues as the standout events of June, according to a monthly survey by the Levada Center, an independent pollster that Moscow has designated a foreign agent.

'PEOPLE ARE GETTING VERY ANGRY'

The same poll showed that the share of people who felt the country was on the right track posted its biggest monthly decline since 2018, to 52% from 61% in May.

The number of respondents who approved of Putin's performance as president dropped to 74% in June, the lowest since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine in early 2022, it also showed.

"People are getting very angry. Long queues, refueling is difficult, plus the heat. For many people the air conditioning doesn’t work. Some people even feel unwell in the queues," said driver Nikita, waiting to refuel in Moscow. "How long this will last, nobody knows."

Kyiv has continued its drone campaign against energy targets, which it says is meant to increase the cost of war for Russia and pressure it to make peace. Ukraine's military said on Monday it had struck oil refineries in Russia's Yaroslavl and Leningrad regions overnight.

Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine's energy infrastructure during the war, now in its fifth year, causing widespread power outages and winter-time heating shortages.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

REPEAT: Russian drivers' patience is tested as fuel shortages drag on

VIDEO SHOWS: MOTORISTS STANDING IN LONG QUEUES AT FILLING STATIONS NEAR RUSSIA'S ST. PETERSBURG / DRIVERS COMMENTING ON FUEL SHORTAGES

EDITORS NOTE: REPEATING TO MATCH THE TEXT WIRE, SEE EDIT 4885 FOR VOXPOPS FROM MOSCOW

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: GATCHINA, LENINGRAD REGION, RUSSIA (JULY 3, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. (MUTE) CARS QUEUING AT FILLING STATION SHOT FROM A WINDOW OF A CAR PASSING BY

2. VARIOUS OF CARS QUEUING AT FILLING STATION

3. VARIOUS OF FUEL PUMP WITH NOZZLES OUT OF SERVICE

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) LOCAL RESIDENT, DARIA, NO LAST NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

"My tank is (almost) empty right now, and the car is starting to stall; I don't know if I'll make it to the filling station. Since they won't sell fuel into canisters, I'll probably have to leave the car right here."

5. WOMAN PUTTING NOZZLE IN TANK OF HER CAR

6. NOZZLE IN TANK

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) LOCAL RESIDENT, IRINA, NO LAST NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

"I’ve been waiting in line for an hour and a half now. It’s a frustrating situation because they’re only letting cars through one by one, which is really stressful. The kids are going stir-crazy in the car, thank goodness for cartoons, they’re a lifesaver."

8. CARS QUEUING AT FILLING STATION

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) LOCAL RESIDENTS, GENNADIY AND ANASTASIA, NO LAST NAMES GIVEN, SAYING:

"GENNADIY: Yes, we've noticed that there's less gasoline, right? (ANASTASIA: We've noticed, yes.) GENNADIY: And that’s having a negative impact on us. Standing in queues after work isn't exactly fun. (ANASTASIA: Yes, we’re forced to stand in queues for two hours after work, completely worn out.) GENNADIY: And then, a couple of days later, I’ll have to stand in queues again, because I’ll run out of gas again."

10. VARIOUS OF WOMAN FILLING HER CAR

11. NOZZLE IN TANK

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) LOCAL RESIDENT, VICTORIA, NO LAST NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

"We’re feeling the effects of the gasoline shortage. You have to wait in lines. I’ve actually timed it - I’ve been waiting for an hour and twenty minutes now. The last time I filled up was about four days ago, and I had to wait in line for 30 minutes then, too. That was at a Gazpromneft station. But the Gazpromneft stations are all empty now, and as far as I know, the Rosneft stations only have 100-octane fuel left. All in all, we really feel the situation getting tight. That’s it. It’s very sad; there’s nothing more to say."

13. VARIOUS OF CLOSED 'GAZPROMNEFT' FILLING STATION