Partisans Report Severe Fuel Shortages in Russian Occupied Crimea

(SIMFEROPOL, OCCUPIED CRIMEA) – Almost no petrol remains in occupied Crimea, with motorists queuing for up to three hours at filling stations and coupons being introduced to ration dwindling supplies, according to the partisan movement ATESH.

Since morning, people have been standing in queues for hours to obtain fuel. In Sevastopol, more than 300 cars gathered at one filling station, with drivers waiting for three hours.

By evening, petrol had completely run out at many filling stations. Only diesel remained. In some locations, coupons were introduced, meaning that without a stamped paper, fuel is not dispensed. Filling into canisters has also been banned. Prices have risen noticeably.

Bringing fuel to the peninsula has also become difficult. Crimea can be entered by land via two roads, through Chongar and through Armyansk, both entrances from the mainland in the north of Crimea. On these routes, transporting fuel in barrels and canisters has been prohibited. Even 30 litre containers are turned away.

Cars are being turned back far on the approach, on the mainland near Novooleksiivka and Novotroitsk, villages on the highway before Crimea. Part of the flow is being redirected from Chongar to Armyansk.

The partisans stressed that this appears to be not about saving fuel, but about safety for the occupiers. A canister or barrel of petrol is a convenient way to smuggle explosives among ordinary cargo. It is easier to ban the transportation of fuel in containers altogether than to inspect every canister. The shortage at filling stations is curbed with coupons and limits so that petrol lasts for more people and no one drains the pump dry.

ATESH suggested that another, and likely the main, reason for the shortage is that fuel primarily goes to the military, while ordinary people are pushed to the back of the line.

Due to the fuel shortage, public transport is already being cut. In Sevastopol, some bus routes have been cancelled, and in the evening, buses finish their work earlier than usual.

This comes days after the Russian appointed head of the occupation administration of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, stated that large volumes of petrol are not expected on the peninsula in the near future. He also said power supply problems continue amid Ukraine’s strikes.

The fuel crisis in Crimea has been deepening. Earlier reports indicated that petrol was being sold only by QR coupons, with agricultural enterprises in occupied Crimea suspending operations due to the fuel shortage.