As of June 21, a complete ban on fuel sales has been imposed in temporarily occupied Crimea. According to the head of the occupation administration, Sergey Aksyonov, the restrictions apply to all forms of payment: cash, non-cash, and coupons. The ban is in effect for both individuals and legal entities.
Fuel Only for the Needs of the Occupiers
Aksyonov stated that gasoline and diesel will now be supplied exclusively to state services responsible for the functioning and security of the peninsula. Further decisions regarding the situation in the fuel market will be announced separately.
The situation in Crimea has sharply deteriorated following a drone attack on the night of June 21. As a result of the strikes, Russia was forced to suspend ferry traffic with the peninsula. This has become a critical factor, as logistical chains were already compromised.
Energy Crisis and Strikes on Infrastructure
In addition to the fuel shortage, power outage schedules have been introduced in Crimea. According to "Krymenergo," parts of the peninsula have been left without electricity. Residents on social media report that power outages began immediately after a series of explosions.
The roots of the fuel crisis lie in the successful strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine against the occupiers' logistical arteries. In particular, the Crimea-Donetsk corridor, which was one of the key routes for resource delivery, came under attack. Currently, the Crimean Bridge remains the main, albeit overloaded, channel.
Furthermore, Ukrainian forces are delivering systematic strikes against oil refineries (ORs) on the territory of the Russian Federation. On May 28, the Tuapse Refinery—one of the largest enterprises in southern Russia, which supplies fuel to the Russian army—was attacked.
Escalation of Restrictions
Fuel problems in Crimea are growing. Since June 1, the sale of 92 and 95 octane gasoline has been subject to significant restrictions. Priority was given to enterprises, while residents were allowed to refuel no more than 20 liters of 92 octane fuel. Now, access to resources for the civilian population has been completely cut off.