Crimea halts civilian gasoline sales after Ukrainian strikes

Russian-held Crimea stopped selling gasoline to civilians on Sunday after a new round of Ukrainian attacks on fuel infrastructure, the Associated Press reported. The move underscores Ukraine’s growing effort to pressure Russia by striking energy supplies on and around the Black Sea peninsula.

Sergey Aksyonov, the Kremlin-appointed head of Crimea, said Ukrainian overnight strikes killed four people and injured 28 others, according to AP. He did not identify the site that was hit.

Aksyonov later said on social media that gas stations in Crimea would stop sales to individuals and non-state companies for an unspecified period, AP reported. He said fuel would be available only to government bodies responsible for the operation and security of the region, and urged residents to rely on official information.

Ukraine has repeatedly attacked fuel supplies serving Crimea in recent weeks, triggering what AP described as the region’s worst energy crisis since Russia illegally annexed the peninsula in 2014. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that targets included an oil depot in Crimea and an oil transport facility in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region.

Zelenskyy described the strikes as part of Ukraine’s “long-range sanctions” against Russian energy infrastructure, according to AP. He said Russia responds to strength and argued that Ukraine’s long-range capabilities were contributing to peace.

Russian officials in Krasnodar said earlier Sunday that a drone attack caused a fire at a Black Sea oil terminal in the village of Chushka, AP reported. They also said Ukrainian attacks hit a ferry and killed one person.

Drivers face tight limits

Fuel shortages have hit Crimea before after Ukrainian strikes, but AP reported that the current disruption is the most severe since the annexation. At the end of May, authorities limited gasoline sales to 20 liters, or about 5 1/3 gallons, per vehicle owner per week through prepaid coupons.

Those coupons were quickly claimed after being released through an official messaging app channel, AP reported. Motorists then waited for hours in lines to refuel.

Residents have used social media to exchange tips and requests about where gasoline can still be found, according to AP. Officials also opened a hotline for tourists in the area who have been unable to leave because of the fuel shortage.

Some drivers have brought gasoline from Krasnodar and other areas across the Kerch Bridge, AP reported. Authorities limit them to 100 liters, or about 26 1/2 gallons, per vehicle, while some resellers have offered gasoline at twice the market price.

The Kremlin has acknowledged the scale of the fuel problem and promised a quick response, according to AP. The report said Ukraine’s recent strikes have shown its ability to inflict damage on Russia even as Moscow’s battlefield advances have slowed.

AP reported that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine reached its 1,569th day on June 11, exceeding the duration of World War I.

This story draws on original reporting from NPR.