The ORTK gas station chain has imposed fuel purchase limits across its Moscow-region network, Msk1.ru and the Telegram news channel “Ostorozhno, Moskva” reported.
An Msk1 correspondent photographed a notice posted at a station in Troitsk stating that, starting May 30 and “until further notice,” customers may buy no more than 60 liters (16 gallons) of gasoline or 100 liters (26 gallons) of diesel per transaction. The company’s office confirmed the restrictions apply chainwide but did not disclose a reason.
Rosneft and Tatneft told the outlet their stations have no blanket restrictions, though limits may be introduced at individual locations depending on circumstances. Lukoil said there are no restrictions on diesel, while gasoline is sold in quantities of up to 100 liters (26 gallons) per customer. Gazprom said restrictions on both diesel and gasoline are in effect in Moscow and the Moscow region, with a limit of 100 to 150 liters (26 to 40 gallons) per customer.
Fontanka, a St. Petersburg-based news outlet, reported on June 2 that since late May, readers have been encountering fuel purchase limits in St. Petersburg. Notices about restrictions have appeared at some stations on the city’s outskirts. The hotline for Kirishiavtoservis stations said that at some locations, gasoline sales have been temporarily limited to 50 liters (13 gallons) per receipt due to “recent events.”
“The situation is hardest for us with AI-95. It has suffered the most in terms of production, primarily in Kirishi. And Rosneft has roughly the same story in Yaroslavl. The problem isn’t exactly widespread and global. Yes, there are stations that run out of gasoline — temporarily. But these are only isolated stations, unpopular ones, with low throughput and in remote areas,” the head of a large oil depot outside St. Petersburg told the outlet.
On June 2, reports emerged that gasoline sales were being restricted in several districts of the Belgorod and Kursk regions. At Rosneft gas stations, for example, AI-92 fuel is no longer being sold into canisters. In addition, fuel sales have been restricted in the self-proclaimed “Luhansk People’s Republic.” Amid rising demand, sales of AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline, as well as diesel fuel, have been limited to 20 liters per customer.
The most acute fuel shortages in recent days have been reported in occupied Crimea. They began after Ukrainian drone strikes targeted trucks on the highway linking Crimea with Russia’s Rostov region.
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