Gas queues grow as Ukraine targets Russia's fuel supply
Attacks by Ukraine have triggered a fuel crisis in Russia. Reports from across Russia show how residents are dealing with the disruptions in their daily
Attacks by Ukraine have triggered a fuel crisis in Russia. Reports from across Russia show how residents are dealing with the disruptions in their daily lives. Drivers across Russia are waiting for hours to fill up at gas stations — and, in some regions, for days. As fuel shortages worsen, people are driving across entire cities in search of gas stations that are still open, spending the night in their cars and waiting for their chance to refuel. Tempers often flare, with scuffles breaking out among people waiting in line for gas. In recent months, Ukraine has stepped up drone strikes on Russia's oil refineries. On July 6, Ukrainian forces targeted the Omsk refinery, about 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) from the border. Ukraine has now struck Russia's 10 largest oil refineries, from the Leningrad region to Omsk. The campaign has further deepened a fuel crisis that has spread across much of Russia. No safe place in Russia? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'Fight for survival' People across region report that gas stations are closing. The few that still have fuel attract queues that stretch for miles. A woman who lives in Gelendzhik said she had been trying to fill up her car for three days. She arrived at a gas station at 5 a.m. and even spent the night in her car, but still couldn't buy any gasoline. "It's literally a fight for survival," she said. She blames the situation not only on fuel shortages but also on resellers, who, she said, are buying up gasoline and selling it at inflated prices.
According to videos posted by witnesses on social media, the situation appears to be most severe in Chita, a city in Russia's Transbaikal region. There, drivers are reportedly waiting in line for up to 36 hours to buy fuel. Some run out of gas while waiting and are forced to push their cars. Social media users also claim that people are selling their places in line for as much as 35,000 rubles (€400/$460). The fuel shortage is forcing many Russians to change their daily routines. Some are carpooling to run errands or take their children to school; others are switching to public transportation. After repeatedly failing to refuel her car, a resident of Irkutsk said she decided to rely on buses and taxis instead. But those services are also feeling the impact. The newspaper Kommersant reports that taxi drivers are working less frequently and are increasingly canceling longer trips and rides in major cities. The result has been an increase in fares. "Out of service" reads a sign on a fuel pump in Belgorod, Russia Image: Emil Leegunov/Anadolu/picture alliance Some residents of Russia's more rural regions are buying horses instead of cars. The Telegram channel Mash cited horse breeders in reporting that demand for workhorses has surged in recent weeks. The animals are being used for forestry work, haymaking and everyday farm tasks. Demand for bicycles has also risen sharply. In June, bicycle sales on the online marketplace CDEK.Shopping increased by 131% compared with May ad revenue jumped 263%, the company told the Russian outlet Afisha. Bicycles are increasingly seen as an alternative to cars. "Hooray! I'm officially a pedestrian now," one resident of Krasnodar wrote after she said she was unable to fill up her car because a local gas station was selling gasoline only to "special vehicles." According to the Russian independent outlet 7x7, that category also includes cars used by government officials.
The BriefWire