---
title: "The calm at gas stations turned out to be temporary: experts explain why fuel prices may rise again"
description: "The Ukrainian fuel market has been calm for several days, but experts warn of a possible new rise in gasoline and diesel prices in the coming days due to exchange rates and import costs."
date: 2026-09-23T14:08:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/fuel-prices-in-ukraine-2026
tags: [fuel-prices, ukraine, gas-stations, diesel, gasoline, economy]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# The calm at gas stations turned out to be temporary: experts explain why fuel prices may rise again

![Man refueling his car at a gas station amid reports of potential fuel price increases](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/23/ceny-na-toplivo-v-ukraine-2026/ceny-na-toplivo-v-ukraine-2026-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The pause in price changes at gas stations is temporary and does not mean the end of fuel price increases.
- Among the objective causes of the rise are the higher cost of imported petroleum products and the weakening of the hryvnia against the dollar and the euro.
- Some gas stations technically cannot display a new price due to digit limitations on fuel dispensers.
- Prices differ across networks and regions due to operating expenses, logistics, competition, and loyalty programs.

The Ukrainian fuel market has been experiencing relative calm for several days: price tags at gas stations have remained virtually unchanged. However, according to specialists, this pause is temporary and does not signal the end of price increases. The cost of gasoline and diesel continues to be determined both by the dynamics of the petroleum products market and by the specifics of how retail prices are formed, which include both actual costs and the risk component built in by operators.

### Calm at gas stations: what lies behind the price pause

Following a sharp spike in fuel costs, prices at gas stations have remained almost unchanged for the second day. Nevertheless, experts emphasize that this is not a signal of stabilization. The retail price is still influenced by traders' expectations and the risk premium that operators build into the cost of fuel. The main components of the price remain the cost of purchased petroleum products and taxes, so even with "frozen" price tags, the internal logic of price formation continues to work in the direction of growth.

### Objective causes of price increases

Energy expert and director of special projects at the "Psyche" Scientific and Technical Center, Hennadii Riabtsiev, explains that among the objective causes of price increases are the overall rise in the cost of petroleum products supplied to Ukraine, as well as the weakening of the hryvnia against the dollar and the euro. As a result, more funds are required to purchase the same volume of fuel. In his words, the market currently has no clear limit to which operators are willing to raise prices, a situation that, according to the expert, is fueled by insufficient oversight of how retail fuel prices are formed.

### Technical limitations of equipment

A separate factor affecting the speed of price changes is the technical capabilities of the gas stations themselves. Founder and CEO of the Prime Group of companies, Dmytro Leushkin, notes that some fuel dispensers have an insufficient number of digits to correctly display a new price. Accurate display of the cost requires a format with three digits before the decimal point and two after it. Due to these limitations, some operators physically cannot set a price requiring such a format and are re-equipping their equipment. Therefore, the current pause may be linked not to the end of price increases, but to the technical inability to reflect the new cost.

### Contradictory data

The public discourse features two opposite interpretations of the current dynamics. On the one hand, a number of operators and observers speak of a "calm" and nearly unchanged price tags over the course of two days, which can be interpreted as temporary stabilization. On the other hand, according to monitoring data, on September 20 one of the largest gas station networks made an unexpected move in price setting, and by September 22 diesel once again exceeded the 100-hryvnia mark. Thus, the version of a "freeze" in prices contradicts the actual movements of certain networks and the breach of psychological levels for diesel. The gap between the perception of a pause and the real changes at individual stations remains unresolved.

### Why prices differ across networks and regions

The cost of fuel varies significantly depending on the network and the region. Riabtsiev attributes the difference between prices at "Ukrnafta" and premium networks such as SOCAR primarily to differences in operating expenses: premium stations offer more additional services, which increases maintenance and upkeep costs. According to the expert, there is no basis for explaining the difference by fuel quality. The final price is also influenced by logistics (where the gas station sources its fuel and how far it is transported), competition between stations, loyalty programs, and the purchasing power of a given locality: in large cities fuel is usually more expensive than in district centers.

### What to expect next

Further increases in gasoline and diesel prices over the coming days remain possible. According to Riabtsiev, operators do not explain to consumers why they are changing prices and what components make up their cost, and the price is influenced not only by actual costs but also by traders' expectations with a built-in risk premium. Therefore, it is still too early to treat the current pause in price changes at gas stations as final stabilization. The further dynamics will depend on the cost of imported fuel, the exchange rate, and how operators will revise retail prices, with changes in the near term potentially being uneven across networks and regions.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [No limit to the rise. What is happening with prices at gas stations and can a new spike be expected](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/mezhi-zrostannya-nemae-shcho-vidbuvaetsya-1790172206.html) - Основной аналитический текст: причины удорожания, технические ограничения колонок, разброс цен по сетям и регионам, прогнозы экспертов Рябцева и Леушкина.
- [Diesel once again exceeded the 100-hryvnia mark. Gas station prices on September 22, 2026](https://glavcom.ua/ru/news/dizel-snova-prevysil-otmetku-v-100-hrn-tseny-na-azs-22-sentjabrja-2026-hoda-1144399.html) - Подтверждает пробитие дизелем отметки 100 грн к 22.09.2026 — используется в блоке противоречивых данных как аргумент против версии о «заморозке».
- [Fuel prices on September 21, 2026: how much gasoline, diesel, and gas cost at gas stations](https://glavcom.ua/ru/news/tseny-na-toplivo-21-sentjabrja-2026-skolko-stojat-benzin-dizel-i-haz-na-azs-1144186.html) - Подтверждает пробитие дизелем отметки 100 грн к 22.09.2026 — используется в блоке противоречивых данных как аргумент против версии о «заморозке».
- [Gasoline and diesel prices changed again on September 20: one of the largest gas station networks made ...](https://tsn.ua/ru/ukrayina/benzin-i-dizel-snova-izmenilis-v-tsene-20-sentyabrya-odna-iz-samyh-bolshih-azs-sdelala-neozhidannyy-shag-3171902.html) - Фиксирует ценовое движение крупной сети 20.09.2026 — используется в блоке противоречивых данных.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Has the rise in fuel prices at gas stations ended?
**A:** No. According to experts, the current pause in price changes is temporary and does not mean the end of the increase. The cost continues to be influenced by the petroleum products market, exchange rates, and the risk component built in by operators.

### Q: Why haven't prices at gas stations changed for two days now?
**A:** Part of the reason is technical: a number of fuel dispensers have insufficient digits to display a new price (a format with three digits before the decimal point and two after is required). Therefore, some operators currently cannot physically reflect the new cost.

### Q: Why is fuel getting more expensive?
**A:** Among the objective causes are the overall rise in the cost of petroleum products supplied to Ukraine and the weakening of the hryvnia against the dollar and the euro. In addition, the price is influenced by traders' expectations and taxes.

### Q: Why do gasoline and diesel prices differ across networks and regions?
**A:** The difference is determined by the network's operating expenses (premium stations are more expensive due to additional services), supply logistics, competition, loyalty programs, and the purchasing power of the locality. Experts see no basis for explaining the difference by fuel quality.

### Q: Can a new price spike be expected in the coming days?
**A:** Yes, further growth remains possible. The market currently has no clear limit for increases, and the dynamics will depend on the cost of imported fuel, the exchange rate, and operators' revision of retail prices, with changes potentially being uneven.