“It feels like we are living on a lost island”

Due to attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the highway leading to Crimea, the peninsula is faced with a fuel crisis. Residents stand in lines at gas stations for hours; they cannot get gas coupons.

From June 4, in Crimea annexed by Russia, the sale of gasoline for cash was completely prohibited; refueling was allowed only with previously purchased coupons (no more than 20 liters per person). The peninsula is facing a gasoline shortage due to Ukrainian drones, which since the end of May have been mining the highway connecting Crimea with the Rostov region - this is one of the main fuel delivery routes. The Bereg cooperative of independent journalists spoke with residents of the peninsula about how the fuel crisis affected their lives. Meduza publishes this material in its entirety.

“Private gas stations sometimes receive fuel and sell it. But it’s almost impossible to get there.”

Marina (name changed), lives in Simferopol

I recently bought a car, only managed to fill it up three times - and now my swallow is standing in the yard and covered with dust.

For me this is not just an inconvenience. I work outside the city: the journey takes 15 minutes by car, and an hour and a half by bus. I have two children. It’s five minutes by car to the kindergarten, and about forty minutes on foot. By the time you drop off your child, by the time you get further, you’re already starting to be late for work. Therefore, the lack of gasoline is truly a problem that affects every day.

The last time I refueled was on Monday ( June 1 - note from Berega ). We went to visit relatives in Dzhankoy from Simferopol, then the shortage was just beginning. We stood at the gas station for 45 minutes, which at the time seemed to us like a very long time. Now I look at people who stand for eight hours for twenty liters of gasoline, and I understand that those 45 minutes were a completely tolerable story. I can’t devote a whole day to queuing: I work, I have children.

The most unpleasant thing is that people appeared who in the early days bought gasoline in cans, and now resell it for 150-500 rubles per liter. Honestly, I would already buy 200 rubles each to take my children to kindergarten. I probably have about ten liters left in the tank. For now I'm just trying to save money.

Hard. Although we are already accustomed to difficulties here. In 2014 we sat without electricity. During Covid it was impossible to leave the house normally.

There were problems with gasoline last year, but now everything looks much more serious. Lines of 150-200 cars at one gas station - I’ve never seen anything like this before.

If it's not for long, we'll survive. But then it becomes alarming, because the issue is not only about personal trips. If problems begin with the delivery of bread and food, it will be a real disaster.

Although, to be honest, the lack of gasoline is not the worst thing. Drones have already flown over my home and work several times. In kindergartens, windows are sealed with armored film. And among my friends there are already people killed [due to drone strikes]. Against this background, the fuel crisis is perceived quite differently.

Just six months ago there was gasoline at all gas stations, no queues. I arrived, refueled and drove on. Yes, our prices have always been higher than on the mainland. And the last time the 92nd cost about 77–78 rubles per liter, the 95th cost about 81 rubles. Unfortunately, this is already common in Crimea.

As for gasoline coupons , I don’t even understand who can buy them now. Previously, I just came to the gas station and filled up. Now only those who have coupons can count on fuel - but there are a lot of restrictions there too.

It is impossible to buy new coupons. I called all the major networks - there is nothing anywhere. And it doesn’t matter who you are: an entrepreneur, a private person or a government agency. They simply don't sell new tickets. Because there is no gasoline itself.

Some private gas stations sometimes receive fuel and sell it at a relatively normal price. But getting there is almost impossible. In order to get to the pump by lunchtime, the queues begin to fill at two in the morning. And even at night there are already twenty cars there. Now it all looks like chaos.

Recently I was even offered a coupon for twenty liters of gasoline for eight thousand rubles. More recently, I filled up the same twenty liters for about 1.6 thousand.

In recent years, prices for everything have increased greatly. A one-room apartment on the outskirts of Simferopol now costs about 10 million rubles. A small house 15 kilometers from the city - 8–10 million. Gasoline is more expensive than on the mainland, food prices are almost the same as in Moscow. And this is ordinary Simferopol, not even the southern coast of Crimea.

Sometimes it seems that Crimea has become not for Crimeans, but for visitors. Since 2014, prices have increased by at least 2.5 times, and salaries in the public sector by a maximum of 30–50%. To be honest, it’s very difficult right now. Previously, you could live on two salaries and save something. Now there is only enough for life and some small loan. Many people don’t even think about a mortgage anymore.

My parents recently went to Solovki. It would seem that the islands have complicated logistics. But the funny thing is that gasoline is noticeably cheaper there. Sometimes there is a feeling that we ourselves live on some lost island.

How the Ukrainian army attacks the road to the peninsula

“We calculate how much gasoline should remain in the tank so that we can get to the continent”

Oksana (name changed), came to her parents in the village of Grushevka

I'm on vacation now. Every year I come to Crimea to visit my parents - they are pensioners and permanently live in the village of Grushevka between Sudak and Feodosia. This time I arrived on the evening of June 1st, and then managed to refuel. We will go back to Moscow only in mid-July.

So far, to be honest, the fuel crisis is not affecting us very much. But you have to constantly keep it in mind.

We constantly monitor the situation in chats, follow the map, see where there is gasoline. Now we plan any trip in such a way that we get everything done at once: buy groceries, go where we need to go, don’t bother with anything unnecessary. And we always calculate how much gasoline should remain in the tank so that, if necessary, we can get to the continent and refuel there.

In general, moving around Crimea by car is now very convenient. Every year the roads and infrastructure are getting better. Everything is fine - except for the current situation with gasoline. I had never encountered anything like this before. Yes, prices here are higher than in Moscow, but this has never really bothered me. Moreover, the gas stations are good.

The problem was noticed when we were driving from Grushevka to Feodosia. You pull up to a gas station, and there are just zeros on the display - and there is no fuel. Then we saw the same thing when we were driving from the [Crimean] bridge to our parents. Honestly, when you see these zeros at a gas station, it becomes alarming. Especially if you are on vacation and were planning to travel: go to the sea, go on excursions.

We were lucky that we arrived in a car that can use 92-grade gasoline and consumes only 6.5–7 liters per 100 kilometers. It would be much more difficult if the consumption was 12 liters.

Where there is gasoline, it is immediately noticeable: queues form. For example, in Nasypny we saw a line for gas station, but didn’t stand - we didn’t need it then. From the outside, everything looked calm, without conflicts. People are just waiting their turn.

When we refueled at Tavrida, there was a limit of 20 liters of 92-grade gasoline per person. But everything was calm there: people are polite, the staff works normally. We refueled pretty quickly.

Yesterday we still saw 95 gasoline on sale, but the queue was huge. At some gas stations, fuel was dispensed only using fuel cards ( coupons - Berega's note ).

The locals, in my opinion, behave quite calmly. They are simply trying not to drive anywhere and save fuel.

Theoretically, you can use buses and minibuses, there are fellow travelers. But if the journey takes twenty minutes by car, then by public transport it easily turns into two hours. Too uncomfortable.

So far, the crisis is not affecting our vacation too much, also because the sea is cold and my husband is sick. So we mostly stay at home. But, of course, we hope that the situation will be resolved soon and it will be possible to safely travel anywhere again - both to the sea and on excursions.

If it becomes really difficult, we will go to the continent to refuel. This is approximately 170 kilometers one way. Then we will combine such a trip with something else - for example, with a trip to the sea or an excursion.

“We have reduced unnecessary trips, we are trying to save fuel”

Irina, moved from St. Petersburg and is building a house in Crimea

We moved from St. Petersburg and are now building a house in the Belogorsk region of Crimea - on our own, without contractors. While construction is underway, we live in a rented apartment in Simferopol.

Therefore, for us, a car is not just a means of transportation, but an opportunity to regularly travel to the site and engage in construction. If the situation with gasoline does not change, construction may simply stop. Of course it's frustrating, but it's not demoralizing. We understand the situation quite adequately and are confident that we will survive it.

Until recently there were no problems. In recent months, everything worked as usual: I arrived at the gas station, filled up with gas in five minutes and drove on. Although last summer, difficulties with 95 gasoline also arose for several days. Prices are generally normal, although slightly higher than on the mainland.

We encountered a shortage of fuel when returning from the site to the city. We stopped at a gas station and were told that there was no 95. As a result, we filled half a tank of 92 and drove on.

There was no panic around. Well, no gasoline means no. We'll refuel later. Since the 90s, we have become accustomed to not driving with an empty tank, so we took it calmly. People around also reacted without hysterics, they joked at most. We have not seen any scandals or conflicts. We are generally very kind people.

Of course, it is a little worrying that the situation may drag on. But it’s alarming, not scary. This creates certain inconveniences, but does not yet look like an insurmountable problem.

We are not looking for any special ways to obtain gasoline. We just cut down on unnecessary trips and try to save fuel. I'm sure the situation is temporary. It has not yet led to any serious life difficulties. Moreover, public transport works normally in Crimea. Yes, it’s more convenient to use a personal car, but there is an alternative.

And then we have very friendly people. If suddenly you don’t have gasoline yourself, there will always be a neighbor who will help and help out.

“Many began to buy supplies for future use - not only gasoline, but also food”

Amir, lives in Simferopol

I felt the effects as soon as the fuel crisis began at the end of May. I think like most people. What can I say... The situation is unpleasant. There is no fuel, people stand in queues for 6-8, and sometimes 10 hours, to refuel.

Against this background, many began to purchase supplies for future use - not only gasoline, but also food. I saw people literally sweeping groceries off the shelves. These things always happen when uncertainty arises. I myself now walk to work. Of course, it is less convenient than driving a car, but it did not create any serious problems in my life. I just had to adapt to new circumstances. All that remains is to buy a horse!

When I first encountered a gasoline shortage, I was driving to work. At gas stations, the employees behaved calmly and politely, answering questions in the way they were apparently recommended to do during briefings. Yes, conflicts sometimes arise, but mostly these are not fights or scandals, but ordinary disputes between people in queues.

To be honest, I take things calmly. It was clear that in the summer there would be problems with fuel in Crimea: during the season many tourists traditionally come here, including by car.

But the current crisis turned out to be much larger after the other side ( Ukraine – Berega’s note ) began to limit transport links. But the situation is what it is.

I plan to walk and bike more - it’s good for both health and psychological well-being.

"Shore"