Since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has recorded 297 strikes on 236 fuel infrastructure facilities. WOG estimates that restoring a single completely destroyed gas station costs between 50 and 70 million UAH. This was reported by Dengi.ua , citing an article from Ekonomichna Pravda.
The highest number of attacks on gas stations was recorded in the Dnipropetrovsk region: 60 cases. The Donetsk and Kharkiv regions follow in terms of damage. The majority of the damage occurred in six regions located near the front line or the state border.
There are about 8,000 gas stations operating in Ukraine, so the confirmed attacks affected approximately 3% of the network. In its latest inflation report, the National Bank cited a slightly different figure - about 4% of gas stations damaged - noting that the decline in sales in the affected areas is partially offset by increased sales at gas stations in safer regions.
However, in certain areas, the situation is significantly more dire than the overall statistics suggest. For example, in the Nikopol District, 59% of operating gas stations were hit. In the Sumy region, more than a quarter of the active network has been damaged or destroyed. High levels of damage are also observed in the Kramatorsk, Bohodukhiv, and Kherson districts.
Repeated strikes on the same facilities pose a particular problem. If there are no nearby alternative stations, certain roads and settlements may temporarily be left without access to fuel, even though nationwide figures do not indicate a shortage.
According to an assessment of the proportion of attacked facilities among operating gas stations, the most difficult situation is observed precisely in frontline areas. For example, a member of the Kharkiv Regional Council previously stated that there were no functioning gas stations left on the stretch of road between Kharkiv and Poltava, and that more than 80 stations had been destroyed in the region itself. However, this estimate includes not only facilities confirmed to have been struck but also gas stations that have been closed or taken out of service; therefore, it is higher than the figures from the CIR (Centre for Information Resilience) system, which accounts only for confirmed geolocated hits
Attacks on fuel infrastructure could become one of the factors driving price increases; however, so far, there is no significant price gap between frontline regions and the rest of the country. Since May, the price of A-95 gasoline has risen by approximately 10% on average across Ukraine. In the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, the increase was slightly higher - about 11.6 - 12%. The Donetsk region remains an exception, where diesel fuel sells for approximately 100 UAH per liter.
At the same time, the noticeable rise in fuel prices in recent weeks is not solely due to attacks on gas stations. Other factors include complications in maritime logistics, reduced capacity of the Danube due to silting, a shortage of diesel fuel in EU countries, and a seasonal increase in demand from the agricultural sector. Attacks on gas stations are just one factor, but not the main one.
Fuel retail chains are adapting their operations to conditions of constant shelling. WOG reported that in the most dangerous areas, some stations are operating on a reduced schedule, and fuel dispensing may be temporarily suspended during air raid alerts. Ukrnafta plans to purchase 100 fuel tankers to facilitate more efficient resource movement between regions. This year, the Naftogaz group has already lost 37 gas stations.
In Trostyanets, Sumy region, fuel is now being sold directly from tanker trucks. Industry representatives view this practice as a potential model for official use throughout the frontline territory.