Dagestani entrepreneurs have called on courts to take a proportionate approach to the closure of gas stations.

The closure of gas stations in Makhachkala and Kaspiysk is leading to fuel supply disruptions, with queues forming at operating stations. Entrepreneurs have called on the courts to take a proportionate approach to station closures, taking into account the severity of the violations.

"Caucasian Knot" reported that in mid-February 2026, security forces detained a suspect in an industrial safety violation that resulted in the death of a person in a gas tank fire at a gas storage station in Makhachkala. Local residents were evacuated from their homes and apartments due to the fire. In September 2025, the investigation into the deaths in a gas station explosion in Dagestan was completed. Marat Dzhankhuvatov, the owner of the Novy Khushet gas station that exploded in November 2018, hired unauthorized personnel to repair the gas pipeline. The investigation concluded that the repairs violated safety regulations.

In Makhachkala and Kaspiysk, numerous gas stations have been closed, and at those that are still operating, huge queues have formed, the NNT television channel reported.

According to interviews with station owners, the closures are often due to failure to comply with a number of requirements, in particular distances from residential buildings, although, for example, as gas station owner Eldar Mekhtiev said, the buildings were built after the gas station began operating.

Owner Zakarya Magomedov's gas station reported that its operations were suspended by a court order. He stated that the conditions for which the station was closed were not technical and did not pose a threat, according to the report.

Meanwhile, queues formed outside the operating gas stations, drivers report in the report.

The disproportionate application of the measure of complete gas station closure could lead to serious consequences: interruptions in fuel supplies, risks to emergency services, and price increases, the Union of Entrepreneurs of Dagestan noted.

In a statement published by Chernovik, representatives of the Union indicated that control and compliance with safety requirements must be strict and strict. However, response measures must be proportionate. Where there is no immediate threat, regulations, fines, and deadlines for correcting violations should be applied, rather than immediate closure. "A differentiated approach based on the degree of risk is needed, rather than applying the same measures to everyone without exception," the entrepreneurs stated, calling for a constructive dialogue between businesses, regulatory authorities, and government agencies.