Avito, Ozon and Wildberries have stopped selling fuel on their platforms at the request of Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service. The agency announced the measure in a statement cited by RIA Novosti.
According to the FAS, Avito has already hidden listings offering fuel for sale. On Ozon and Wildberries, the sale of automotive fuel has been fully banned, and attempts to create product cards for such goods are blocked at the moderation stage before they appear on the site.
The antitrust service said the steps were intended to prevent speculative fuel resales. Earlier, Avito’s press service also said the platform would soon remove all gasoline sale listings in order to avoid speculation involving essential goods.
As RBC noted, by the time the restriction was announced there were more than 600 private gasoline sale listings on Avito.
According to calculations by The Bell, as of June 16 restrictions on fuel sales for private vehicles were in place in 53 Russian regions, as well as in Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia. In 18 regions, drivers were allowed to buy no more than 50 liters of gasoline or one full tank. Reports from another 11 regions described fuel shortages at a significant share of gas stations, although no formal volume limits had yet been introduced there.
The fuel crisis in Russia, the outlet said, began in late May. It has unfolded amid intensified drone attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces on Russian oil refineries and oil depots.