Drivers across Russia are waiting for hours to fill up at gas stations — and, in some regions, for days. As fuel shortages worsen, people are driving across entire cities in search of gas stations that are still open, spending the night in their cars and waiting for their chance to refuel. Tempers often flare, with scuffles breaking out among people waiting in line for gas.
In recent months, Ukraine has stepped up drone strikes on Russia's oil refineries. On July 6, Ukrainian forces targeted the Omsk refinery, about 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) from the border. Ukraine has now struck Russia's 10 largest oil refineries, from the Leningrad region to Omsk. The campaign has further deepened a fuel crisis that has spread across much of Russia.No safe place in Russia?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
'Fight for survival'
People across region report that gas stations are closing. The few that still have fuel attract queues that stretch for miles. A woman who lives in Gelendzhik said she had been trying to fill up her car for three days. She arrived at a gas station at 5 a.m. and even spent the night in her car, but still couldn't buy any gasoline."It's literally a fight for survival," she said. She blames the situation not only on fuel shortages but also on resellers, who, she said, are buying up gasoline and selling it at inflated prices.
