Half of Crimea’s Gas Stations Shut Down Amid Severe Shortages

Fuel shortages have become acute in occupied Crimea and Sevastopol, where nearly half of all gas stations have halted gasoline sales.

Drawing on data from over 17,000 fuel stations across Russia, the report indicates that while disruptions are being felt nationwide, the Crimean Peninsula is among the hardest hit. In the Southern Federal District, which Russia claims includes Crimea, more than 220 stations-about 14.2 per cent -have temporarily suspended fuel sales, The Caspian Post informs via Ukrainian media.

From July 28 to September 22, the number of operational gas stations nationwide declined by 2.6 per cent. Some regions, such as Rostov Oblast, the Mari El Republic, and the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, experienced declines in fuel sales of as much as 14 per cent.

The shortages follow a series of Ukrainian drone strikes in August targeting Russian oil refineries. At least 16 out of Russia’s 38 refineries have been struck. These attacks have disrupted output and led to a sharp fall in diesel exports, now at their lowest levels since 2020. As a consequence, Moscow has scaled back fuel exports to prioritize domestic supply.

In response, Kyiv has urged Western countries to increase sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector, arguing that reducing oil revenues would further weaken Moscow’s capacity to sustain its war effort.

Meanwhile, the Russian economy is under mounting pressure. The combined impact of war-related expenditures, sanctions, and structural economic weaknesses is manifesting in high inflation, increasing interest rates, and slower growth.