Fuel companies have likely paused sales of the popular grade in anticipation of rapid price hikes amid a global fuel crunch, activists say.
In occupied Crimea, A-95 - the most popular gasoline grade among local drivers — has been missing from gas stations for several days. Some stations are dispensing it only with vouchers, an activist with the international LiberateCrimea campaign in Simferopol told Krym.Realii on condition of anonymity.
“The fuel situation in Crimea has started to resemble last fall’s crisis again, when shortages lasted a long time and prices rose almost daily. In the middle of this week, the occupation authorities in Crimea said the shortfall was due to supply disruptions at the ferry crossing caused by bad weather. Then they announced deliveries had been restored, but A-95 is still nowhere to be found. There’s no clear explanation from the occupation authorities as to why. Most likely, fuel companies have slowed sales of this popular grade in expectation of a rapid jump in prices because of the global fuel crisis,” the activist said.
He added that the quality of A-95 has significantly deteriorated in recent months.
“Crimean motorists are noticing there’s hardly any difference now between A-95 and A-92. Attendants, smiling, admit it’s ‘all from the same tank.’ Prices also vary across Crimea — for example, in Sevastopol they’ve risen above those in Simferopol. There’s growing chaos across the Crimean Peninsula, and it’s increasingly clear the occupation authorities are losing control of the situation,” the activist added.
In December, gas stations in the occupied peninsula again reported shortages of gasoline and diesel - including AI-95 - which in several cities was sold only with vouchers.
According to media reports, 57 regions of Russia have faced gasoline shortages.
