Queues at gas stations in Kuban have shortened with the end of the tourist season.

After the tourist season ended, queues at gas stations in the cities of Krasnodar Krai have decreased, drivers reported. The shortage of certain brands of gasoline persists in some places, and at some private gas stations, residents say the price of fuel reaches 160-190 rubles per liter.

As reported by “Caucasian Knot”, in early September, the governor of Krasnodar Krai, Veniamin Kondratiev, demanded to expedite the unloading of tankers and the delivery of fuel to gas stations, as well as to lift all restrictions on gasoline sales. On October 18, the authorities of Gelendzhik reported on the operation of ten gas stations. AI-95 was available at five of them, AI-92 at six, and diesel fuel at all ten.

Questions about the current situation at gas stations were posed by the correspondent of “Caucasian Knot” to drivers from Gelendzhik, Novorossiysk, Tuapse, Anapa, Sochi, Adler (Sirius), Lazarevsky District, Hot Key, and Krasnodar. The survey is not representative and reflects the private opinions of the respondents.

The surveyed drivers use various sources of information about the availability of gasoline: in Gelendzhik, there are Telegram channels “Gasoline Gelendzhik” and “Where is Gas”, in Anapa – a community in the MAX messenger. In Sochi and Adler, motorists monitor fuel availability through local chats in Telegram and WhatsApp, as well as communities of drivers and taxi drivers.

No single official source with operational information for all cities of Kuban was named by the interlocutors. Reports on the availability of fuel at specific gas stations are published by the authorities of Gelendzhik, Krasnodar, and Anapa; such data helps choose a gas station but may become outdated within a day.

In Sochi, drivers gather information about operating gas stations themselves through the chat “Where is Gas? Sochi” and the website “Gasonaut Sochi”, where private motorists register and post information. The data on the site is fragmentary.

No official reports as of October 20 listing gas stations and fuel brands for Sochi, Adler, Sirius, Lazarevsky District, Tuapse, and Hot Key were found by the correspondent of “Caucasian Knot”.

Gelendzhik and Novorossiysk: shorter queues, interruptions remain

A resident of Gelendzhik Zhanna Klimushkina reported that queues at gas stations remain, but the waiting time is less than during the most difficult period of the fuel crisis. “Of course, you don’t stand for six to eight hours like before. But still, spending one or two hours in line is also not pleasant,” she noted.

According to her, AI-95 is not available at all gas stations. “Rosneft” does not operate at night, at “Gazpromneft” on the bypass road, diesel fuel is constantly available, while gasoline appears depending on supplies. According to Klimushkina's observations, two to three gas stations operate steadily, while the others have interruptions.

At federal gas stations, gasoline costs 72-74 rubles per liter. At private franchised gas stations, the price is higher by 20-30 rubles, she claims.

According to the official report from the Gelendzhik administration, as of 9:00 AM Moscow time on October 20, AI-95 was available at five gas stations, AI-92 at seven, and diesel fuel at ten. The authorities listed the gas stations where different brands of fuel were sold. The data confirms that the availability of gasoline depends on the specific gas station.

Activist from Novorossiysk Zhanna Mingalevich attributes the improvement primarily to the normalization of supplies, not just the end of the season. According to her, diesel fuel is constantly available at gas stations, and the situation with gasoline has improved. She tries to refuel on her way to work, early in the morning or during lunch breaks, to avoid wasting time traveling around the city. “Now the normal situation has stabilized,” Mingalevich noted.

In the beginning of the interruptions, she had to come to the gas station two days in a row and wait for gasoline. She complained to a representative of the city administration who oversees safety and transport, and he informed her which gas station she could go to. Mingalevich mentioned the official's name at the gas station and refueled without problems.

No official channels that would promptly report on gasoline availability at each gas station were named by her: motorists exchange information themselves. The correspondent did not find an official report from the Novorossiysk authorities on the fuel situation. The Telegram channel “Gasoline Novorossiysk” exists, but there is no information about gas stations on it.

Tuapse: gasoline prices are rising

A father of many children Sergey Kartashov from Tuapse reported that the end of the season did not lead to the expected improvement. According to him, over the past month, AI-92 has risen in price by about 70 kopecks, almost to 63 rubles per liter.

The family lives about 15 kilometers from the city and usually refuels the car twice a week. Consumption can reach about 100 liters per week, depending on the number of trips. “Our income is below the lowest,” Kartashov said. His pension with allowances for dependents is about 32,000 rubles per month, and his wife is on maternity leave.

Until early October, he had to wait in line for up to two hours, including with small children in the car. At one of the gas stations on Bondarenko Street, he was told that there are benefits for the disabled, but for large families, there is no priority refueling.

Kartashov claims that near a separate pump for the disabled, people in uniform, including Cossacks and Rosgvardiya officers, were on duty all season. Some drivers without disabilities, he says, refueled there faster than those who stood in the general queue. He approached the management of the gas station, but saw no reaction. Kartashov also noted the sale of gasoline in plastic canisters and the order of service during the unloading of fuel trucks.

No confirmed official report from the Tuapse administration on fuel availability as of October 20 was found by the correspondent. Individual users write in the Telegram channel “Gasoline in Tuapse” about whether they managed to refuel.

Anapa: finding gasoline has become easier

The head of the public organization “Anapa Civil” Oleg Yanson informed “Caucasian Knot” that the situation at gas stations in the city has improved, queues are mostly small. However, AI-95 is not available at every gas station, so sometimes it is necessary to visit two to four gas stations. “It’s not always possible to find 95 right away, but it’s not as problematic as before,” he noted.

At large network gas stations, gasoline costs more than 70 rubles per liter; he could not say about prices at private gas stations, as he hasn’t refueled there for a long time. He believes that official sources do not sufficiently inform residents about fuel availability and mentioned an unofficial community in MAX that motorists use.

The Anapa administration reported in its summary on October 20 that 27 gas stations were operating in the city in the morning. AI-92 was available at 25 gas stations, AI-95 at 19, diesel fuel at 26, and AI-100 was absent.

At four gas stations, fuel was dispensed only with fuel cards and for special transport, and at 17 there were restrictions on the volume of fuel dispensed into the tank. The information is current as of 9:30 AM Moscow time and may become outdated during the day, the authorities clarified.

Sochi and Lazarevsky District: almost no queues

A resident of Greater Sochi Veronika Maslova reported that after the end of the season, refueling has become significantly easier. According to her, AI-92, AI-95, and diesel fuel are available, and there are practically no queues. She did not notice any significant change in prices.

A resident of the Central District of Sochi Marina Popova confirmed that gasoline can be purchased without waiting in line. AI-92 at “Rosneft” costs 66 rubles 80 kopecks per liter, at “Lukoil” – 68 rubles 40 kopecks. She could not report on prices at private gas stations, as she does not use them.

A resident of Lazarevsky District Pavel Smagin reported that after the end of the season, problems with gasoline disappeared for him. According to him, there are no queues at the local “Rosneft” gas station, and the main brands of fuel are available.

However, at the private NTK gas station in the area, there is no gasoline, only gas is sold, Smagin added. There are no reports on gasoline availability at gas stations in Lazarevsky District on the district administration's website for October 20.

Adler and Sirius: gasoline up to 190 rubles

A resident of Adler Elena Filippova reported that the situation with gasoline in Adler District and Sirius has more or less normalized. According to her, queues, if they arise, are small, and refueling usually succeeds without waiting.

The price of gasoline at some gas stations, according to her observations, is about 75 rubles per liter. At private gas stations, she has seen prices of 160 and 190 rubles. “But there are no people there,” Filippova notes, speaking about the expensive gas stations.

At one of the gas stations where gasoline was available, she saw a queue of four cars. At some gas stations, according to her, they dispense no more than 40 liters, so drivers try to refuel with a reserve.

No current official reports from the administrations of Adler and Sirius with prices and fuel availability as of October 20 are available.

Krasnodar and Hot Key: refueling in 15 minutes

A resident of Krasnodar Elena Korbakova reported that for about the last two weeks, the situation with gasoline in the regional center has been calm. According to her, all major brands of fuel are available, and the waiting time in line usually does not exceed 15 minutes. She did not notice any significant change in prices.

According to the summary from the municipal management center of Krasnodar on October 18, 84 gas stations were operating in the city. AI-92 was available at 52 gas stations, AI-95 at 46, AI-100 at 12, and diesel fuel at 82.

A resident of Hot Key Valentina Shostak reported that for about a week, local gas stations have been able to refuel without queues. On the morning of October 20, at the “Rosneft” gas station, AI-92, according to her observations, cost 66 rubles 85 kopecks per liter, AI-95 – 72 rubles 95 kopecks. Diesel fuel and AI-98 were also available at the gas station.

No official report from the Hot Key administration on gasoline availability for October 20 is available. Earlier, the Telegram channel “Hot Key News” reported the absence of gasoline at gas stations; currently, there are no such messages.