Zabaikalsky Region Seeks Federal Intervention as Fuel Crisis Deepens

Authorities in the Zabaikalsky region of Russia’s Far East have reached out to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin for urgent help in addressing a fuel crisis that has left gas stations without regular deliveries, as reported by the business newspaper Kommersant on Friday.

Governor Alexander Osipov has asked the central government to expedite shipments from refineries located in the nearby Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk regions, citing weeks of delays attributed to transportation issues instead of production shortages.

The first indications of fuel shortages emerged last month when at least two independent fuel networks started rationing gasoline and subsequently ran out of supplies at several stations in Chita, the regional capital, and the industrial city of Krasnokamensk.

Similar fuel shortages and price increases have been reported in various other regions throughout Russia in recent months.

From January to late October, retail prices for AI-92 gasoline surged by 42%, while AI-95 saw a 49% increase, before dropping by approximately 10% in early November following a temporary export ban and other governmental actions.

In response, Russia’s Energy Ministry has proposed new measures aimed at stabilizing the domestic fuel market. These plans include establishing a dedicated trading platform for consumers and mandating that oil companies allocate at least 40% of their crude production for domestic refining.