Russia floods regions with cheap gasoline ahead of Putin’s visits
Photo: Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin (from open sources)
Russian leader Vladimir Putin, amid his election campaign, is making trips across Russia's regions — ahead of his visits, large quantities of cheap gasoline are being brought in, despite the ongoing fuel crisis, according to Le Monde.
Fuel appears in the regions ahead of Putin's arrival, even at gas stations that had stood empty for weeks due to the energy sector crisis caused by mass Ukrainian drone strikes.
Le Monde cites the situation in Krasnoyarsk, where the dictator arrived on August 3. There, on the eve of the Kremlin chief's visit — about which Russians had not yet been informed — gasoline appeared at every gas station, and at half the usual price.
"For two days now, we haven't had to queue for gas, and it's no longer being sold at 140 [rubles per liter, about €1.50] but at 67, and all this thanks to Vladimir Vladimirovich! Thank you for coming to us," a young driver enthusiastically told Echo, a Russian media outlet in exile.
A wave of satisfaction — at times tinged with irony — also swept through social media. Local bloggers explained that the master's visit, despite the inconveniences — road closures, heavy police presence, and poor internet connectivity — also had its positive side.
Some even suggested he visit the city more often, noting that his previous trip had been seven years ago.
"One thing is certain: For 48 hours, the people of Krasnoyarsk forgot about the fuel crisis that had plagued them since repeated Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries," reads the Le Monde article.
Fuel crisis in Russia
Over the past two months, Ukrainian drones have knocked out up to 40% of Russia's oil refining capacity, leaving a third of the country without fuel. The energy sector crisis has affected 50 million Russian citizens.
Even though Russians no longer know where to buy gasoline — which has become as precious as gold — Putin publicly refuses to acknowledge the dire state of affairs. According to him, the situation is "not critical."
At the same time, Russia has begun taking gasoline from Belarus that had been destined for Central Asian countries. However, even record volumes of such supplies have not been enough to fully eliminate the shortage.
