Crimea freezes fuel prices, imposes rationing as shortages persist
Russia-controlled Crimea has frozen fuel prices and imposed gasoline rationing in response to shortages resulting from a spate of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Regional governor Sergei Askyonov said on Monday that motorists in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, would be limited to buying 30 litres of fuel at a time.
He also announced a 30-day price freeze on various grades of diesel and gasoline, a measure apparently designed to minimize public anger over the disruption.
Aksyonov announced the move on social media, saying he had held a meeting with oil traders to seek solutions to the crisis.
"I ask Crimeans not to stock up on gasoline and to refuel their vehicles as usual," he said.
To stem the shortages, Russia has temporarily banned gasoline exports and is preparing to impose restrictions on diesel exports for traders. But experts do not expect these to have a significant impact on flows.
Motorists in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod, east of Moscow, also reported problems getting fuel.
A taxi driver who gave his name as Alexei said he had visited two stations that were out of 92- and 95-grade gasoline.
"Later it appeared and then disappeared again," he said.
The governor of Nizhny Novgorod has said the problems are related to issues in the supply chain and told the public that these will soon be solved.
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