Crimea halts all public gasoline sales; fuel restricted to government agencies
All gas stations in Crimea have stopped selling fuel to the public as of June 21, with supplies now reserved for government agencies ensuring the peninsula's operation and security.
According to Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of Crimea, all gas stations on the peninsula ceased gasoline sales entirely as of 9 a.m. on June 21. This applies both to open market sales and to purchases using ration coupons. Fuel will now only be dispensed to government agencies responsible for maintaining the functioning and security of the Republic of Crimea.
The gasoline shortage in Crimea began in late spring, following Ukrainian strikes on fuel tankers and cargo trucks that supply the annexed peninsula via the R-280 "Novorossiya" highway. On June 6, the TES chain of gas stations in Sevastopol introduced a QR code system for obtaining gasoline coupons—each coupon entitled the holder to buy 20 liters (about 5.3 gallons). The codes could be obtained only once a week and solely through the Max messenger app. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, stated that the codes were claimed "literally within a few dozen seconds."
