CaliToday (22/9/2025):
SEVASTOPOL, Crimea – A severe fuel crisis is escalating across Russian-occupied Crimea, with major gas stations running out of gasoline and prices soaring, prompting a prominent pro-war Russian blogger to label the situation a "catastrophe."
The alarm was raised by Z-blogger Alexander Gorny, who reported on Business FM that the fuel situation on the peninsula has become "very tense." Where fuel is available, the price for AI-95 gasoline has reportedly reached 75.7 rubles per liter, with some residents being forced to pay as much as 80-85 rubles per liter. In some districts, gasoline is now being rationed and sold with coupons.
Gorny (real name Sergeev), who moved to Feodosia from Moscow and has been known for a decade as a vocal supporter of the Russian annexation, has become increasingly critical of the occupying authorities for administrative failures in recent years. His dramatic assessment of the fuel situation underscores the severity of the crisis, as it comes from a long-time proponent of Russian rule.
Empty Pumps and Soaring Prices
According to Gorny, the crisis began with "alarm bells ringing" in Yevpatoriya and Sevastopol, but has now spread across the peninsula, with many large chain stations having "really run out of gasoline." While fuel is still available at smaller, private gas stations, prices have skyrocketed. The recent summer "stability" at chain retailers, he noted, has suddenly given way to empty pumps.
He described a "major problem with refueling on the highway," where residents are driving past multiple stations on empty tanks, ready to pay any price just to refuel. In some cities, gasoline is already being distributed via discount coupons specifically for public transport. Gorny observed that in the Feodosia area, neither 92 nor 95-octane gasoline was available at any of the major stations.
The Cause of the Crisis: Ukrainian Drones Strike Russian Refineries
The primary cause of the shortage is widely attributed to Ukraine's successful and systematic drone attacks on Russian oil refineries. Throughout the conflict, Ukraine has been methodically targeting and destroying Russia's oil infrastructure, leading to a significant decline in fuel supply and a subsequent surge in prices, particularly in occupied territories like Crimea.
According to experts and residents, the current crisis on the peninsula is steadily worsening. Fuel restrictions, punishing price hikes, and half-empty gas stations are becoming the new reality for people in the region, bringing the consequences of Russia's full-scale invasion directly to the occupied territory.
