In the new monitoring report, we analyze how the fuel crisis in Russia is evolving: it is now perceived as a systemic rather than a temporary problem. Russians continue to complain about queues and restrictions, while fuel quality has emerged as a new source of discontent. The need for an oil-producing country to import fuel has sparked surprise and direct public criticism.

We also examine reactions to drone attacks and growing war fatigue, Putin’s statements, the exclusion of Yabloko from the elections, and the sentencing of Lev Shlosberg. We track how the approaching elections have affected perceptions of economic problems, while the start of the school year has triggered a wave of discussion over the cost of preparing children for school.

The monitoring covers August 17–23, 2026, and is based on an analysis of regional communities on VKontakte and Telegram.