A critical shortage of gasoline, especially 95-octane, has hit Crimea and Primorye. In Khabarovsk Krai, long queues are forming at gas stations. Crimean filling stations have introduced fuel coupons for legal entities, while prices for private car owners have skyrocketed to 70 rubles per liter. Even at these elevated prices, finding fuel remains a significant challenge.
Crimean authorities have acknowledged the fuel supply issues at the peninsula`s gas stations. Republic head Sergey Aksyonov attributed these to `disruptions with certain types of fuel` and logistical challenges, predicting the situation would persist for another month. The scarcity of 95-octane gasoline is most acutely felt. Crimean drivers are actively discussing in online chats where they can still refuel. Motorists in Alushta report that a popular `Atan` gas station only dispenses fuel via coupons and special fuel cards, which are exclusively available to organizations.
In Sevastopol, 95-octane fuel has been unavailable at branded gas stations for a week. Local media reported that yesterday, it could only be found at a few small, independent stations for 70 rubles per liter, or via coupons, similar to Alushta. Crimean journalist and blogger Alexander Gorny comments:
«The fuel situation on the peninsula has worsened significantly in recent weeks. Not only have fuel prices sharply increased, with 95-octane costing 70 rubles per liter and 92-octane 63 rubles, but 95-octane gasoline has now disappeared from most gas stations. A few stations with small reserves still supply it, but their number diminishes daily. Driving around the peninsula, you see `out of stock` signs next to 95-octane. Yesterday, Sergey Aksyonov attributed this to logistics problems and fuel availability issues on the mainland, suggesting the situation could last for about a month. There`s currently a very high traffic volume on the peninsula; this year, over 65% of tourists traveled here by personal car, leading to an immense strain on local gas stations. The information about buying 95-octane with coupons might be partially accurate, as some stations issue fuel coupons, typically for organizations, and may reserve 95-octane for them to fulfill their obligations. Many now consider using 92-octane. People are very upset by the fuel cost itself, and we anticipate that prices in Crimea, considering the `Crimean coefficient,` will rise to 73-75 rubles for 95-octane. In recent years, the price per liter on the peninsula has consistently been 7-10% higher than on the mainland, which I personally observed this summer while traveling through the Southern Federal District, even in remote regions with equally complex logistics as Crimea, where fuel was considerably cheaper.»
However, not all Crimeans view the current gasoline deficit as exceptional. Alexander Makridi, Director of `Taxi Tavrika` from Simferopol, states:
«It`s tough; there`s no gasoline. This isn`t due to tourists; a price surge occurs annually during this period. It`s not about logistics; wholesalers are raising prices. At one point, the government tried to combat this, setting some restrictions last year, the year before—it was useless. I believe they`re artificially creating a shortage to profit from it.»
«What are these coupons?»
«These aren`t like the bread coupons; they are fuel vouchers sold at gas stations. Someone might come wanting to buy not 20 liters but 100 or 200 liters. Businesses buy them this way; for example, they pay via bank transfer, then receive either coupons or cards, which they use to refuel. This practice has been around for a very long time. In fact, 95-octane is almost always unavailable, but 92-octane is usually there. In such situations, everyone just fills up enough to get there and back.»
Neither price freezes nor the government`s announced ban on gasoline exports have alleviated the situation in Crimea. The republican Ministry of Fuel and Energy has also admitted to the fuel scarcity on the peninsula.
In late July, Sergey Beem, president and co-owner of Crimea`s largest gas station chain `TES,` was arrested. The former head of `Chernomorneftegaz` was detained as part of an investigation into large-scale fraud, with a key grievance against the businessman related to fuel prices in Crimea.
Fuel Shortage Extends to Primorye
In Primorye, residents are complaining about massive traffic jams at gas stations. Drivers from Spassky District and neighboring Khabarovsk Krai are carrying gasoline in canisters. Given that a federal highway passes nearby, tourists are also caught in these traffic jams. Andrey Pushkarev, Rossiyskaya Gazeta`s correspondent in Primorye, comments:
«Vertically integrated oil companies, which control the vast majority of gas stations, attribute this to a massive influx of motorists—tourists returning from the southern seas, from Primorsky Krai to Khabarovsk, Yakutia, Amur Oblast, Siberia, and so on. This involves thousands upon thousands of people, and such a situation arises annually. The second reason they cite is extensive road repairs and some delivery issues. Why they weren`t prepared for this is hard to say. Problems exist, especially at gas stations located along the M-60 federal highway to Khabarovsk. There`s talk that everything will be rectified, and additional fuel trucks will be dispatched. Well, let`s hope so. For now, the only result is a widespread increase in fuel prices, averaging 75-76 rubles per liter or more.»
Sergey, a driver from Khabarovsk, acknowledges that there are always many tourists during this season. However, according to him, even with such heavy traffic, there has never been such a severe fuel shortage before:
«There are no problems in Khabarovsk. I drove to Primorye for three days, filled up with 92-octane here, and reached Chernigovka, where a gas station sign read: `No gas and none will be.` At Sibirtsevo, at `ATK Alliance,` the price was normal, but there was a queue. I drove further, towards Vladivostok, to a gas station, handed over money, said `fill it up,` and right before my eyes, the price shot up; 92-octane gasoline cost 74 rubles. I drove along the highway to Vladivostok. At `ATK Alliance,` there are mostly queues of cars, but at private gas stations, the prices are high, and not all of them even have gasoline. The price ends up being almost 1.5 times more expensive. This has never happened before; people always drove, and everything was fine.»
The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) and the Ministry of Energy have been instructed to address the regions where fuel prices have surged, including Siberia and the Far East.
