Fuel shortages hit Russian-occupied Crimea as Kyiv steps up drone attacks

Fuel shortages hit Russian-occupied Crimea as Kyiv steps up drone attacks Witnesses report petrol stations are running dry as Ukraine targets supply lines - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Petrol stations are running out of fuel in Russian-occupied Crimea as Ukraine steps up drone attacks on energy infrastructure. Witnesses in the region reported on Thursday that most petrol stations had run dry or were fielding long queues as the region experiences its worst fuel crisis since Russia’s illegal annexation in 2014. Authorities have imposed fuel rationing schemes since the end of May, but have struggled to temper the heavy demand. Social networks have been abuzz with requests and advice on where to find fuel, and authorities launched a hotline for tourists who have found themselves trapped. It comes after Ukraine intensified drone strikes on supply lines to the peninsula in recent months. Attacks on the Russian-held territories to the north, where fuel is transported via roads and rail links, as well as to an oil terminal in Feodosia, have largely cut off supply routes to the region. Overnight, the Ukrainian military claimed it has successfully destroyed 50 Russian military vehicles in a devastating strike on the Armiansk bridge which connects occupied Crimea to mainland Ukraine. On Friday, Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, has said that Ukraine is capable of fully cutting off Russia’s access to Crimea in the “near future”. A Reuters witness in Sevastopol, the peninsula's largest city, said on Thursday that there was no fuel at most local petrol stations. Another, in the resort town of Yevpatoriya, said that there was a long queue outside the single working petrol station there. Local authorities have imposed fuel rationing regimes, with some foodstuffs also running short. At the end of May, authorities in the Crimea restricted the sale of gasoline to 20 litres (5 1/3 gallons) per vehicle owner per week using prepaid coupons. Those were snapped up immediately following their release on an official messaging app channel, and motorists lined up for hours, waiting to refuel. In a rare public admission, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the Crimean fuel shortages earlier this week and promised that "measures were being taken" to deal with them. The Russian Defence Ministry has been silent about the Ukrainian attacks on the land corridor, while some war bloggers have harshly criticised the military for failing to anticipate the strikes and its slow response. Some suggested military escorts for fuel trucks while others urged stepping up strikes on Ukrainian bridges, fuel storage sites and other infrastructure. While fuel shipments over the Kerch Bridge, which connects Russia to the peninsula, have long been suspended for security reasons since the Ukrainian attacks, fuel also has been carried by ferries. Some motorists bring their own gas over the bridge from the mainland, but they are restricted to carrying 100 litres (about 26 1/2 gallons) per vehicle. Reports suggest speculators are selling gas at double the market price as the crisis intensifies. Crimea attracted nearly 7 million tourists last year, and it had hoped to top that number this year. The business daily Kommersant reported that nearly 80 per cent of hotel bookings were canceled in late May and early June. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] ATANSERVICE 100 000 4.5 95 0000 M 95 0000 5 92 00.00 AT 00.00 LPG 0000 OC3 AEOTAIOW ford FOCUS