Russian authorities urge residents to work from home as fuel crisis escalates
Authorities in Russia's Novosibirsk region have urged residents to work from home and limit car use due to a fuel crisis that erupted after a Ukrainian drone attack on the Omsk oil refinery in July, spreading to almost all regions of the country.
The authorities of the Novosibirsk region in Russia have issued a decree urging residents to switch to remote work and minimize the use of private vehicles. The document states: "We recommend that residents of the Novosibirsk region limit the use of private vehicles. If travel is necessary, they should ensure they have enough fuel to reach their destination and return."
Both Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions border Omsk, which is home to one of Russia's largest oil refineries. The facility was significantly damaged as a result of Ukraine's drone attack on July 6. Since then, a fuel crisis has been spreading to almost every corner of Russia.
According to local journalists, currently only one of the country's 89 regions has not introduced energy restrictions. Some areas are now implementing an odd-even system for gasoline sales in an effort to ease the disruption. Depending on the region, drivers are estimated to spend up to 12 hours waiting in line for fuel.
