 (1).png){kind=spacer}
8 hours ago
1
Gas stations across Russia have started rationing fuel sales as drone strikes on oil refineries by Ukraine deepen a supply crisis, the pro-Kremlin daily Izvestia reported Wednesday.
Stations in several regions are limiting drivers to 10-20 liters of gasoline per purchase or offering only diesel, Pavel Bazhenov, president of the Independent Fuel Union (NTS), told Izvestia.
"These measures should help chain owners weather the difficult period of shortages and avoid temporarily closing their gas stations, as happened previously with some small stations," Bazhenov said.
The restrictions are in place in central Russia, the Volga region, the south and the Far East, according to NTS.
Fuel retailers in the Moscow, Leningrad, Ryazan and Nizhny Novgorod regions confirmed to Izvestia that limits had been imposed.
Major companies have also introduced curbs. Lukoil has banned canister sales at some Moscow stations and stopped accepting fuel cards at several stations in Nizhny Novgorod.
By mid-September, shortages had been reported in 21 regions ranging from Chukotka and Sakhalin in the Far East to Ryazan and Samara in central Russia, NTS data showed.
Ukraine has ramped up drone attacks on Russian refineries since August, knocking at least five plants partly or fully offline.
The outages have cut Russia’s refining capacity by 17%, or 1.1 million barrels per day, driving up wholesale fuel prices, according to Reuters.
Gasoline prices on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange hit record highs on Tuesday, with AI-92 climbing to 73,600 rubles ($880) per ton and AI-95 trading at 71,100 rubles ($850).
Prices have risen 40-50% since the start of the year, prompting the Russian government to order oil companies to activate reserve capacity, delay scheduled maintenance and coordinate rail shipments of fuel.
Officials are also considering extending a ban on gasoline exports and imposing a temporary ban on diesel exports for all suppliers until the end of the year, the state-run TASS news agency reported.
The gasoline export ban is currently in place until Sept. 30.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
