Fuel Sales Halted Across Crimea: Only State Services Receive Gasoline

Sergei Aksyonov, the Moscow-installed head of Crimea, announced on June 21 that fuel sales to the public have been completely suspended at all gas stations across the peninsula as of 9 a.m. local time. Both cash purchases and coupon-based sales are halted. Fuel will now only be allocated to state services responsible for maintaining life and security in Crimea. Further decisions will be announced later, Aksyonov said.

This is the latest development in a fuel crisis that began in late May when the annexed peninsula experienced its first acute gasoline shortage due to Ukrainian attacks on tanker trucks and cargo vehicles supplying Crimea via the R-280 highway. On June 6, Sevastopol introduced QR codes for fuel coupons, allowing individuals to purchase up to 20 liters once a week through the Russian state messenger Max.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that on the night of June 21, Ukraine struck maritime logistics, oil industry facilities, and air defense systems on both sides of the Kerch Bridge. He called the strikes a justified response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian people. Zelensky also reported that the strikes hit oil transport logistics in Russia's Krasnodar region, an oil depot in occupied Kerch, four S-400 radar stations, and two Pantsir missile systems.

Earlier, a massive drone attack on Crimea caused multiple fires, including at the Tavrida thermal power plant, an oil and gas storage facility, gas distribution stations, bridges, and ferry crossings, according to OSINT monitoring by the Crimean Wind channel.