ISW: The Kremlin Fears Panic Among Russians
- 30.09.2026, 10:59
- 2,006
Putin blocked access to important information.
The Kremlin has restricted access to information about the Russian oil and gas industry. This is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Analysts believe that Russia is attempting to conceal this data to protect oil supplies from Ukrainian attacks. They do not rule out other reasons: a desire to mitigate the impact of Western sanctions or to prevent domestic discontent and panic over fuel shortages.
Experts noted that on September 28, Putin signed a decree restricting access to information about the oil and gas industry. The restrictions apply to data on market transactions, oil refining and production volumes, buyers, sellers, and intermediaries, transportation and transshipment, transaction dates and times, as well as the geographic coordinates of oil terminals and storage facilities.
“These restrictions may serve one or more purposes. The Kremlin is likely attempting to enhance the operational security of its oil and gas sector amid Ukraine’s effective long-term campaign of strikes against Russian oil refining infrastructure. A more closed information environment may also help mitigate the impact of existing Western sanctions against the Russian oil industry and protect against new ones by concealing the extent of Russia’s dependence on energy imports, which could be targeted by secondary sanctions. In addition, the Kremlin may be attempting to conceal from ordinary Russians the scale and prevalence of the protracted domestic fuel crisis: it has sparked widespread public discontent and triggered panic buying, which has further exacerbated the shortage,” the institute’s analysts note.
Sources also report that Russian authorities are preparing to extend the ban on diesel fuel exports for another month, until the end of October 2026. It was originally imposed in July 2026.
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