Russia’s Fuel Crisis Continues Spreading, Hitting The Far East
Russia’s gasoline crisis continued to spread across the country’s regions over the weekend. Shortages, official rationing, and sudden price spikes are being reported from the Far East to Buryatia and occupied Crimea, undercutting Moscow’s narrative of stability.
- Vladivostok
Drivers in Vladivostok are struggling to find 92nd and 95th gasoline at most stations, though diesel remains available, RIA VladNews reports. Operators blame panic buying triggered by the holiday season and mass travel, which caused demand to spike and disrupted supply chains.
- Primorsky Krai — Ussuriysk
In Ussuriysk, motorists have reported persistent shortages of AI-95, alongside price increases of 5–10 rubles per liter compared to earlier months.
- Zabaikalsky Krai
The Telegram channel Chity News reports serious problems in Krasnokamensk.
In Krasnokamensk, not a single gas station has 95th gasoline. They say that supplies have run out. At the gas station of the ‘Soyuz i K’ chain, there are signs that AI-95 is available only for organizations.
At ‘Neftemarket’ the signs are not lit: neither in Borzya, nor in Krasnokamensk. At the entrance, there is also a sign that only for organizations.”
- Crimea
The Crimean Ministry of Fuel and Energy admitted to “temporary difficulties” in supplying the peninsula through the Kerch Strait. The ministry cited weather-related ferry delays and processing bottlenecks as the cause, saying deliveries must undergo “technological measures” before reaching retail networks.
- Buryatia
In Buryatia’s Severobaikalsky District, fuel prices have spiked sharply. Residents of Novy Uoyan reported a jump of nearly 10 rubles per liter in just three days—from 60.70 to 69.90. Local social media filled with complaints: “Why did petrol go up by 9 rubles overnight in Novy Uoyan?” The Federal Antimonopoly Service confirmed wholesale prices have been rising but claimed increases are “usually gradual” to smooth the impact.
Russia’s officials continue to dismiss the shortages as temporary. But with regions across the country reporting empty pumps and surging prices, the crisis is no longer isolated. It is spreading — and ordinary Russians are the ones paying the cost.
