Moscow gas stations reinstate fuel purchase limits

At least two gas station chains operating in Moscow have reintroduced limits on how much fuel customers can purchase, according to Russian business outlet RBC.

A customer service line for Gazprom Neft first told callers the cap was 40 liters per person, but the company later corrected that figure to 60 liters. Tatneft's hotline, meanwhile, said its stations allow purchases of up to 50 liters of gasoline and up to 60 liters of diesel per customer.

The capital is also dealing with a shortage of AI-95 gasoline. As of the evening of August 18, that grade was available at just one Neftmagistrali station in the whole city, the chain's hotline confirmed to RBC.

A recurring problem

Moscow gas stations first imposed sales restrictions back in June, with Tatneft, Rosneft, and Lukoil among the chains limiting purchases at the time. Those curbs were eventually lifted, but a fresh wave of fuel shortages had already hit Russia by early August.

The newspaper Izvestia reported on Monday that as of August 16, only 28% of Russian gas stations had both gasoline and diesel in stock. Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev maintained that fuel remains available at stations nationwide, though he acknowledged that queues have been forming at filling stations.