Head of Crimea calls the prices and quality of fuel on the peninsula unacceptable
The Kremlin-appointed head of the Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, is dissatisfied with the fuel prices and quality at gas stations on the peninsula, as indicated in a Facebook post he made on September 6th.
Aksyonov noted that the 95 RON gasoline is not carried by some gas stations in Crimea. "The cost of 95 RON gasoline on average is 43 rubles 30 kopeks ($0.76), 98 RON gasoline - 47 rubles ($0.82). In the neighboring regions of the Russian Federation, fuel prices are 10% lower," he wrote.
The Russian head of the Crimea also noted that a receipt is often not provided at gas stations. According to him, the quality of fuel leaves much to be desired and often a surrogate is sold, which adversely affects the way the car runs, the wear on the engine, and its components.
Aksyonov called this "an unacceptable situation" and instructed the Russian Deputy Prime Minister of Crimea, Vladimir Serov, to monitor gasoline quality and its price policy in a week and report on the progress being done and measures needed to improve the situation.
In early June 2017 it was reported that there would be another rise in the price of gasoline on the Peninsula.
Fuel is delivered to the Crimea through the Kerch Strait ferry line. Prices at gas stations on the Peninsula are higher than average fuel prices in neighboring Russia partially due to transport logistics.
In August, the Ministry of Energy of the Crimea said that the gas deficit is due to the sharply increased demand, bad weather in the Kerch Strait, and restrictive measures made by the Russian Railways. The department did not include petroleum products in the list of goods that have priority status.