Russian authorities halt fuel sales in Crimea

Russian-installed authorities in occupied Crimea have suspended fuel sales to individuals and businesses due to a severe shortage and a weak tourist season.

Sergei Aksyonov, the pro-Russian head of the peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, said that from June 21, fuel stations in Crimea would sell to no one except state agencies.

“Fuel will be supplied exclusively to state agencies responsible for maintaining essential services and ensuring security,” Aksyonov said in a short video shared on Telegram.

He did not give any clear timeline for when fuel sales would resume.

Russian authorities in Crimea have long struggled to secure sufficient supplies for the roughly 2 million residents, including water and food.

Now, against the backdrop of recent developments in the war in Ukraine, the fuel shortage has also come into focus.

In recent months, the Ukrainian military has stepped up drone attacks, hitting trucks transporting fuel to Crimea.

The region is connected to Russia only through the Kerch Bridge and a corridor of about 100 kilometers of occupied Ukrainian territory.

Ukraine has also struck oil refineries, pipelines, and other energy infrastructure in Russia.

These attacks have contributed to fuel shortages not only in Crimea — where the economy depends heavily on Russian tourists — but also in other parts of Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described these attacks as “long-range sanctions” against Russia, which largely finances its war in Ukraine through oil revenues.

In his June 21 briefing, Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had struck “the maritime logistics used to transport oil in Russia’s Krasnodar region and an oil depot in temporarily occupied Kerch.”

“In addition, military logistics facilities were successfully hit, as well as four radar stations belonging to air defense systems… Russia understands only force, and our long-range force is clearly working for peace,” he added.

Aksyonov confirmed that the attacks had targeted Kerch in Crimea and said four people were killed and 28 others were wounded in the Ukrainian strike.

He did not specify whether any oil facility in the area had been hit. Russian and Ukrainian Telegram channels published footage showing black smoke rising from the area. Radio Free Europe was unable to independently verify those reports. /RFE