Russian-installed authorities in Crimea are struggling to project stability in the fuel market, but local residents report the opposite.
Fuel problems in Russian-occupied Crimea have sharply worsened, according to the Crimean Wind Telegram channel.
Authorities in Sevastopol announced that one vehicle or canister can receive no more than 30 liters of gasoline.
Officials present the move as an effort to build up reserves, but residents say the situation is only getting worse.
Russian-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev insists the limits will help normalize gas station operations.
However, footage from Sevastopol, Simferopol and Yalta appears to show the opposite: drivers waiting in kilometer-long lines for minimal amounts of fuel.
On social media, residents say the wait can take hours, and some stations run out of gasoline before the end of the day.
According to Crimean Telegram channels, the Russian authorities are engaging in a show of supply.
A single fuel truck is reportedly split among several stations to create the appearance of availability at multiple locations.
As a result, each station receives only symbolic volumes that are clearly insufficient amid rising demand.
A shadow market is also expanding. Online, numerous listings offer gasoline in canisters at inflated prices. That undercuts the authoritiesโ efforts to project stability in the peninsulaโs retail fuel market.
