Fuel shortage in Russia: the crisis has reached Moscow

A large-scale shutdown of gas stations is underway in the Russian Federation. Experts say the main reason is the decline in fuel production at oil refineries, which has caused fuel instability in many regions of the country.

This is evidenced by analytical data from the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.

Over the past two months, the number of gas stations in Russia has decreased by 360, which is approximately 2.6% of the total. According to statistics, every fiftieth station has stopped selling gasoline.

The largest decline was in independent gas stations, which are not owned by major oil companies, down 4.1%. In comparison, the decline among gas stations controlled by large vertically integrated companies was only 0.8%.

The intelligence agency notes that some gas stations, continuing to operate despite the restrictions, are forced to set limits on the sale of fuel – no more than 10-20 liters per customer, or temporarily sell only diesel fuel.

The most serious situation is in the Southern Federal District, where more than 220 gas stations have stopped operating, which is 14.2% of all gas stations in the region. Significant reductions are also recorded in Rostov Oblast, Mari El, and the Jewish Autonomous Oblast – from 12% to 14%.

The fuel crisis has not spared Moscow and its suburbs. In some areas of the capital, the Lukoil chain even banned the sale of gasoline in cans to avoid buying up fuel “for backup”.

However, the most acute shortages are observed in occupied Crimea and Sevastopol, where almost half of the gas stations have completely stopped selling gasoline. The head of the peninsula’s occupation administration, Sergei Aksyonov, said the situation was caused by “objective reasons”, including a decrease in production at Russian refineries, and urged residents to “be patient.”

Analysts from the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine warn that the fuel shortage in the Russian Federation is likely to worsen. The main reason is the territorial imbalance, as most oil refineries and bases are concentrated in the western part of the country, which complicates the logistics of supplies to the east, south, and occupied territories.

It should be noted that the worsening fuel problems in Russia are occurring against a backdrop of international sanctions, reduced exports, and internal destabilization of infrastructure. This could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s economy, including transport, agriculture, and military logistics.

We remind you that in temporarily occupied Crimea, all brands of gasoline have disappeared from gas stations.

As reported, in temporarily occupied Crimea , the number of gas stations selling gasoline has decreased by 50%.

In addition, new rules for trading diesel fuel will come into effect in Russia on Tuesday, September 23. Putin is trying to contain the rapid rise in fuel prices by introducing new restrictions for exchange participants and price controls. The shortage has arisen due to systematic attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian oil refineries.

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