Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries have triggered a new fuel crisis in Russia.
asserted
attacks → trigger → Russia
Reuters news agency reports that at least 30 regions are now affected.
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regions → report → ?
Unlike the previous wave of shortages, which began in late May and lasted until mid-July, the current crisis is particularly affecting Moscow and the surrounding area, as is apparent from posts on social media.
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crisis → begin → media
The gas station chains Gazprom Neft and Tatneft have already restricted the sale of fuel in the capital.
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chains → restrict → capital
"You can't say there isn't any fuel.
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You → say → ?
But it's obvious there's a crisis," says Oleg Grigorenko, editor-in-chief of the Russian independent media portal 7x7, which Russia has branded a "foreign agent."
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Russia → be → which
"It's not just a personal problem if you leave the city and don't know whether you can get back again, for example.
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you → leave → example
It's also an economic problem,"
Grigorenko reports that in several regions taxi drivers, courier services and the construction industry are already losing business, as many of their supply chains are fuel dependent.
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many → report → chains
"The logistics of private construction companies is heavily reliant on gasoline," Grigorenko explains.
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Grigorenko → explain → gasoline
People are also having to queue for hours at gas stations in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar, according to local media.
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People → have → media
The authorities are blaming this on a supposed increase in demand during the holiday period.
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authorities → blame → period
But many locals are saying that this summer season is a disaster.
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season → say → ?
Real estate agent Igor Zakharchenko, from Sochi on the Black Sea coast, wrote on Instagram: "With its quiet atmosphere and leisurely pace of life, Sochi today is reminiscent of the time before the Olympic Games, when there were still not many cars on the roads and the city had far fewer holidaymakers and inhabitants.
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city → write → holidaymakers
But the thing is: There's no gas in Sochi."
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thing → be → Sochi
A two-fold fuel crisis: Poor quality and shortages
Speaking on the Russian broadcaster RTVI, Igor Ananskikh, first deputy chairman of the energy committee in the Russian parliament, said he expected the gas supply situation to normalize within two to three weeks.
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situation → speak → weeks
Economist Nikolai Korzhenevsky says this is unlikely.
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this → say → ?
He left Russia in protest at Moscow's war against Ukraine and now lives abroad.
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He → leave → Ukraine
In an interview with DW, he highlighted the worsening quality of fuel in Russia.
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he → highlight → Russia
Acquaintances had sent him photos of their cars displaying error messages that indicate engine damage caused by impurities in the fuel.
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that → send → fuel
"The car won't start and has to go to the garage.
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car → start → garage
The same people are telling me garages have waitlists of several months, even in Moscow," Korzhenevsky says.
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Korzhenevsky → tell → Moscow
"And then you have to wait again for months for replacement parts.
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you → have → parts
Obviously, some vehicles can't handle the gasoline that's being put in their tanks."
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that → handle → tanks
He sees the ongoing problems in the oil and gas industry as harbingers of a much larger and lasting crisis.
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He → see → crisis
Russia's oil exports have fallen more sharply during the war than ever before, Bloomberg news has reported.
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news → fall → war
Oil production has also dropped.
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production → drop → ?
"In 2019, Russia produced 11.5 million barrels per day," says Korzhenevsky.
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Korzhenevsky → produce → day
If this trend continues, and the problems with oil refining get worse, production may fall to 8 million barrels.
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production → continue → barrels
That would create the conditions for a complete economic and systemic crisis.
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That → create → crisis
He doesn't see any quick solution to these problems.
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He → see → problems
In fact he sees Russia going down a similar route to Venezuela, an economy with national income in chronic decline.
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Russia → see → decline
Could India and China ease Russia's fuel shortages?
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India → ease → shortages
The Russian authorities propose to remedy the fuel shortages with imports from India, China or other countries.
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authorities → propose → India
But Vyacheslav Shiryaev, a Russian business journalist who also now lives abroad, says this is not viable.
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this → live → ?
Given Russia's current isolation, it's impossible to ensure a daily supply of 200,000 tons of fuel, which is the approximate amount of gasoline and diesel Russia needs every day, he told DW.
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he → give → DW
Shiryaev, who publicly opposed the war in Ukraine, is also on the Russian authorities' list of so-called "foreign agents."
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who → oppose → agents
He told DW that the damaged refineries cannot quickly be restored and will be vulnerable to further air attacks.
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refineries → tell → attacks
This, he says, is why the authorities are already restricting fuel consumption.
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authorities → say → consumption
Municipal services vehicles — medical and rescue workers, police, firefighters — are allowed to jump the line and fill up and so are security personnel and the authorities.
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personnel → allow → line
"This is happening in front of people who've waited for hours and it's causing a lot of resentment," says Lipsits, a Kremlin critic who left his teaching post at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow because of increasing political pressure.
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who → happen → pressure
…and 16 more, not listed.
The Aporia
