Parts of the Kuril Islands in Russia’s Far East have run out of gasoline, local authorities said Monday, as regions across the country face shortages that some have blamed on Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries and a summer surge in demand.
“The sale of AI-92 gasoline to the public has been temporarily suspended. The entire supply is needed for special vehicles,” said Konstantin Istomin, head of the Kurilsk District, just five days after the islands imposed a 10-liter (2.6-gallon) limit per customer.
Istomin said he would inform residents once the sale of gasoline could resume.
The southern tip of the Kurilsk district, which is a part of the Sakhalin region, lies around 120 kilometers (75 miles) northeast of Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture.
Shortages have also hit the neighboring Primorye region, where long lines formed at gas stations last weekend. Authorities introduced restrictions in the Zabaikalsky region and annexed Crimea amid shortages there.
Wholesale gasoline prices have surged to record highs this month after drone strikes forced several major refineries offline. The Kremlin imposed a temporary ban on gasoline exports through August to stabilize supplies and later extended it through September.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak summoned the heads of major oil companies on Monday to discuss the shortages, the Interfax news agency reported, citing unnamed sources. Details of that meeting have not been made public.
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