In a move that signals mounting pressure on the already strained economy of the disputed peninsula, Russian‑backed officials announced a complete stop to fuel sales for the public in occupied Crimea.
Fuel distribution was already being rationed after Ukraine intensified attacks on supply corridors, forcefully cutting deliveries to the region.
Crimean Governor Sergey Aksyonov said the only customers allowed at petrol stations would be state agencies, citing “functioning and security” as the reason for the ban.
The decision follows an overnight drone strike on an oil depot in Kerch that killed four people and injured 28, which Ukraine’s president described as a “just response” to Russia’s attacks.
The move marks the toughest fuel restriction imposed in Crimea to date, a region that Russia claimed in 2014 and which has been a hotbed of logistical issues.
The halt comes amid a broader Ukrainian strategy to clog Russia’s fuel export routes, a tactic aimed at weakening the war‑fighting capacity of Moscow while pressuring President Putin for dialogue.
Despite the escalation, Kyiv has yet to secure a meeting with the Russian leader after rebuking a recent invitation for face‑to‑face talks.
For travelers, the restriction has made it increasingly difficult for Russian tourists to find petrol to return home, stirring concern among holidaymakers on the peninsula.
