Russian cities feel the pinch amid worsening fuel shortages

Russia’s Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS) has launched price-fixing proceedings against six gas station chains in the Moscow region, Interfax reported Monday, as authorities scramble to contain a nationwide fuel crisis triggered by Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries.

The fuel crisis, which escalated first in Russian-controlled Crimea and prompted a state of emergency and a full ban on fuel sales to ordinary people on June 21, is now reaching across Russia’s 11 time zones.

Concretely, deteriorating loans and larger levels of debt from households could push the institutions over the brink following a 21st package of sanctions that could be announced within weeks.

Just a few days later, Sadovnikova found herself waiting 18 hours to fill up in the city of Irkutsk, in eastern Siberia, almost 5000 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.