Don't grumble, don't leave the house

Russia stands in lines on land and water and withdraws cash. Weekly signs of crisis

After a short respite, the fuel crisis in Russia continues and intensifies. Regional authorities are reinstating restrictions (however, if someone important is traveling or something important is going through, the limits are lifted and prices are reduced). People line up in three rows, literally spend the night at gas pumps and don’t complain - of course, because even church hierarchs warn against this! Attacks by Ukrainian drones on Wildberries logistics centers have begun for the second time, and since this week Ozon has also come under attack. In general, everything is fine in the country - no other assessments have been made from above. But we still continue to detect signs of a crisis.

Rosstat reports that in July 2026, the production of petroleum products in Russia decreased by 19.4% compared to July last year. This is slightly better than in June. But, apparently, it will be a little worse than in August, when attacks on refineries resumed.

According to the Benzonaut service, about a third of gas stations operate in many Russian cities. This, by the way, does not always mean a shortage - for example, in Vladivostok, 37% of gas stations operate, and the queues are very small (if there are any), it’s just that everyone goes to the Rosneft-affiliated NOC, and independent networks are either closed altogether or charge a frightening price tag.

As of August 28, the situation in Russia was as follows: 48% of operating gas stations dispensed at least some fuel. The most popular gasoline, AI-95, was at 29% of gas stations (the situation is worst in Sakhalin, Ingushetia, and Kolyma). AI-92 is found at 43% of existing gas stations. Diesel fuel - at 34% of filling stations, 98 - at 1% of filling stations. But here it is worth noting that this is information from a specific service, which is guided by data from users. Which, in turn, do not always run to websites or applications to talk about the presence/absence of gasoline.

Be that as it may, the crisis is visible not in maps, but in real life. At this point, it’s time for the authorities to introduce bans on the publication of news about the lack of fuel, just like about drone attacks. No news - no problem, everything is obvious.

But while you can still write (and read) about it, let’s fix it: “queue” is the word of the year.

Yekaterinburg: on Kosmonavtov Street, drivers lined up three lanes long in line for gas. Naro-Fominsk: by the evening of August 20, the last working gas station was empty (although fuel has now appeared in some places). In other cities near Moscow the situation is no better. Gasoline is running out, people are waiting in lines for several hours, prices have jumped so much that the FAS has already opened a case against the Trassa chain (a monopolist in 11 districts of the Moscow region). Penza: queues even at “independent” gas stations, where they charge 120 rubles per liter. Tomsk: there is no gasoline at at least half of the gas stations, and this is against the backdrop of statements by the regional government that reserves of 95 in the region have doubled. Samara: gasoline is already disappearing even at Rosneft. But at private gas stations it is available, and even without queues (the prices there are almost 132 rubles per liter for 95 and 127 for 92); previously, all three oil refineries and two gas processing plants operating in the region suffered from drone attacks.

Yakutsk: queues last for several hours, even couriers switch to bicycles. But at least the mayor’s office did something smart here - it installed mobile toilets and organized the sale of water and food. Moreover, you will have to wait both on land and on water: at the Lena boat station, limits of 30 liters per tank have been introduced; They do not pour into canisters, as on the ground. You need to know the transport features of Yakutia in order to understand how important river communication is for the residents of the region.

Arkhangelsk region: people spend the night (!) in queues, regional authorities also say that there is a supply for 11–12 days. Well, well, well, this supply - is it with us now, in this room?

A cool life hack for replenishing the treasury was invented in Rostov-on-Don. Drivers standing in queues are fined. Because you can't stand on the lane. Where else should they stand?

In the Baltaysky district of the Saratov region, people complain that gasoline is diluted at gas stations. Presumably - water. How did you find out? Yes, the engine was damaged, I had to drain it - it turned out that there was more than just fuel in there. Well, thank you, it’s not donkey urine, like in “Gentlemen of Fortune.” However, what's the difference...

Regional authorities still prefer to persuade citizens to tighten their belts. In the Voronezh region, for example, Governor Alexander Gusev advised the population to switch to public transport due to ongoing attacks on oil refineries. Well, at least he doesn’t start talking nonsense about tourists coming in large numbers...

From August 31, strict restrictions are expected in the Sverdlovsk region - up to 20-30 liters per tank. It is still unclear who will stop you from stopping at two gas stations in a day. But they say that for the International Youth Festival, which will be held in Yekaterinburg on September 11–17, restrictions will be lifted. We won't be surprised. This is Potemkin prosperity!

Elections are just around the corner, and parties are trying to use situational PR. If some of the deputies try to make requests in favor of citizens (with varying success, but at least something), then others turn real problems into a farce. “New people” in Kursk, for example, came up with the idea of ​​painting UAV shelters and making them the calling card of the region. Yes indeed. Do we really deserve other attractions? It is worth noting here that this bright idea was previously proposed to the regional Ministry of Culture. Former governor of the Kursk region Alexey Smirnov also got involved. In his opinion, it is necessary to draw portraits of military personnel and members of the North Military District. What adds charm to the situation is that in April Smirnov was sentenced to 14 years for embezzlement during the construction of defensive fortifications on the border with Ukraine. Whose cow would be mooing, honestly?

It is clear that with such a situation people stand right on the highway. Therefore, services for delivering gasoline directly to the car are being developed. So far, the service is popular mainly in Moscow and the Moscow region. We are waiting for large services like Cooper, Samokat, Yandex, etc. to connect.

Maybe it will really get better soon. Gasoline purchased from India and Morocco (lower class, not Euro-5, but at least something) gets stuck in the ports of Murmansk.

The great oil power also imports fuel from Kazakhstan, South Korea, and now also from Turkey. By the way, NATO countries .

But the Orthodox Church, as always, stands guard over common sense. Now a new meme has been added to the witness from Fryazino - a priest from Fryazino. Archpriest of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Sovereign” Alexander Butrin advised people to “endure” the difficulties with gasoline (thanks, captain, we had a lot of options!). He recalled that one of the most revered saints in Russia, Seraphim of Sarov, never grumbled and became angry only once - “when he met a man who raised his hand against state power: a conspirator, a revolutionary.” So anyone who is against the fuel crisis and tries to “pump up rights” is neither spiritual nor ecclesiastical. Well, yes, well, yes.

...Attacks on marketplaces continue. Moreover, several Ozon logistics centers were damaged this week. This began in parallel with the fact that investigative journalists found out that about 35% of the marketplace shares lead to companies affiliated with an oligarch from Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, Gennady Timchenko.

And attacks on Wildberries have already gone in circles - in Kotovsk, Tambov region, Mayor Alexey Plakhotnikov, after the second “arrival” at the company’s warehouse, called on residents to refrain from actively moving around the city so as not to be poisoned by carbon monoxide and combustion products. And he even asked to keep the windows and balconies closed.

Pickup locations across the country are up for sale. Sellers who worked with VB continue to record videos about how the marketplace does not allow people to withdraw money or pick up goods. Moreover, many have already received taxes and some fines. The tax service and the government, of course, could not think about people right away, but a month and a half after the attacks on logistics complexes began, they came to their senses and introduced a deferment from VAT, income tax and payments under a simplified taxation system, as well as a suspension of tax audits on insurance premiums. Until July 2027. Although not for everyone, but only for those whose goods were damaged for at least 5% of their annual turnover.

In this situation, the news that VB owner Tatyana Kim has topped the ranking of the richest women in Russia according to Forbes for the fifth time looks lovely, absolutely lovely. Now Kim’s fortune is about $5 billion, in 2025 it was about $7.1 billion. Joyful.

...And I’m happy for the pensioners: they were given a little money. And now, according to the Social Fund of Russia, the average pension in our country is almost 26 thousand rubles. There are approximately 32.5 million age pensioners in the country. I decided to discuss with the AI:

How many pensioners could Tatyana Bakalchuk make happy? At an exchange rate of 85.93 rubles per dollar (exchange rates are a separate issue, of course), her fortune would be enough to give each pensioner approximately 18,752 rubles.

An excellent idea, I think, for the authorities before the elections. Select and share! It may not be new, but people will like it.

Voices - they don't smell, you know. Yes, and it doesn’t hurt to insure yourself. After all, in Russia there are already problems even with COIBs. Old automatic ballot counting systems in many regions have already exhausted their service life. But it’s impossible to produce new ones because of sanctions. For example, the Sverdlovsk media report this. In a multipolar world, a sovereign state that is so stubbornly moving towards self-sufficiency is hampered by some prohibitions from the despicable West. Who would have thought?