In the Novosibirsk region, some filling stations have temporarily stopped selling fuel to private individuals. This was announced by Denis Ryaguzov, the acting head of the regional Ministry of Industry and Trade.
According to the official, the restrictions affect certain stations that are currently supplying fuel under long-term contracts and fulfilling municipal and state orders. At the same time, Ryaguzov said that fuel remains available at many stations in Novosibirsk and insisted that there are “no problems.”
Governor Andrey Travnikov meanwhile called for manual intervention to help small gas station chains restore fuel deliveries.
Other reports of fuel shortages
Amid wider reports of fuel shortages, restrictions and related measures are also being introduced in other Russian regions. In Yakutia, authorities imposed sales limits, saying the aim was to prevent speculation and an artificial shortage. At a number of stations in Yakutsk and several districts, sales are capped at 30 liters of gasoline and 200 liters of diesel per vehicle, and filling canisters is also being banned.
In Primorsky Krai, regional authorities introduced what they described as forced limits for truck drivers: up to 100 liters within city limits and up to 200 liters on highways. In Irkutsk, according to the Interior Ministry, four alleged gasoline resellers were detained. One was selling fuel near an operating station, while three others were offering it online. One internet seller was charging as much as 250 rubles per liter.
As Kommersant reports, road carriers have already begun warning clients about likely price increases because of supply disruptions. The newspaper says the main difficulties are being seen in southern Russia and on routes linked to China. The project Mozhem Obyasnit also noted a sharp rise in fuel canister prices on Russian marketplaces, with some products becoming almost ten times more expensive.