Russia Limits Fuel Sales After Ukrainian Drone Strikes on Refineries

Authorities in several Russian regions and occupied Crimea have begun implementing restrictions on fuel sales and prices to combat shortages, The Moscow Times reported. The Orenburg region has introduced strict limits on gasoline and diesel sales. The measures follow a Ukrainian drone attack that disabled the Orsknefteorgsintez refinery, which has an annual capacity of 5.7 million tons.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Under the new rules, gas stations in the region will only sell a maximum of 30 liters of AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline per vehicle. Diesel purchases are capped at 60 liters within settlements and 200 liters on highways, while filling portable canisters is now prohibited. Prior to this, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) had investigated propane prices in the region, which had increased by 1.5 times over two months to 42-45 rubles ($0,50-0,54) per liter. On Aug. 14, authorities in the Novosibirsk region announced an agreement with oil traders and gas station networks to cap the retail markup on fuel at a maximum of 15% above the wholesale price provided by Gazprom Neft. Regional officials described this as the first agreement of its kind in Russia. It is set to remain in effect until Nov. 15, with the possibility of an extension. Sergei Latskikh, president of the Siberia-GSM Association of Independent Oil Traders, stated that the practice is intended to stabilize regional markets and prevent speculative pricing. Other Topics of Interest On-the-Lam Polish Politician Surfaces in Renegade, Pro-Moscow Moldova Territory It’s not clear how Romanowski, who was last spotted in Hungary, reached the pro-Kremlin statelet of Transnistria. There’s really only one route in or out, via EU member Romania and then Moldova. In temporarily occupied Crimea, the situation has been particularly volatile. When open fuel sales briefly resumed on Aug. 4, prices surged, reaching between 195 and 270 rubles (approximatelybetween $2.30 and $3.21) per liter for AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline. In response, occupation authorities announced a strict price ceiling of 100 rubles ($120) per liter for AI-92 and indicated that limits for other fuel grades would be established by mid-August. Subsequently, the peninsula returned to a rationing system utilizing QR codes for fuel purchases. Collapse of Crimean tourism The fuel crisis, combined with electricity outages caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on electrical substations, has mpacted Crimea’s tourism industry. Hotel bookings have fallen more than 70% compared to July of the previous year. The Russian government has pledged over 4.3 billion rubles ($54 million) in one-time payments to support tourism workers, offering an amount equivalent to three months of the minimum wage. Despite the strikes, some tourists from nearby Russian regions continue to visit. Some travelers arriving by road from the Krasnodar region reported bringing jerry cans filled with petrol to ensure they had fuel for the return journey. Reported plans to replace Aksyonov The worsening infrastructure and supply issues have led to reports of planned leadership changes in occupied Crimea. In late July, the Ukrainian partisan movement Atesh, citing agents within the occupation administration, reported that the Kremlin plans to remove Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of Crimea, following elections scheduled for September. According to Atesh, Moscow intends to blame Aksyonov for the humanitarian and infrastructure problems, including the disruptions to electricity, water, and fuel supplies, to reduce social tensions and deflect blame from the central government. The partisan group noted that Alexei Dmitriev, the Russian-appointed interior minister in Crimea, is considered a leading candidate to replace Aksyonov, signaling a potential shift toward tighter control by Russian security services. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.