The Russian-occupied Kuril Islands are completely out of gasoline

The sale of AI-92 gasoline has been suspended for residents of the Kuril District, which occupies most of the Kuril Islands (part of the Sakhalin Oblast of the Russian Federation). This was announced by the head of the Kuril District, Konstantin Istomin.

"Currently, the sale of AI-92 gasoline to the public has been temporarily suspended – the entire stock is needed for special vehicles," Istomin wrote on Telegram.

He added that a new shipment of gasoline for the islands would be unloaded "this afternoon" and promised to provide further information "when the fuel sales begin."

The Russian Far East is a gasoline-deficient region: it produces less than domestic consumption. There are only two medium-sized refineries in the region.

The Kuril Region occupies a part of the Kuril Island Range between the Diana Strait to the north and the Catherine Strait to the south, and consists of seven settlements, all on Iturup Island. These are the Northern Territories of Japan, which Ukraine recognizes temporarily occupied Russia.

• Since the beginning of July, Ukraine has struck at least four large refineries in Russia. To cover the deficit, the Russian government introduced on August 1 a complete ban on gasoline exports. However, additional volumes for the market – about 150,000 tons per month – are too smallto remedy the situation.
• Russian authorities intend to extend a complete ban on gasoline exports until the end of September. In October, the ban will apply to non-producers of petroleum products. To cover the deficit, purchases of petroleum products from Belarus are not ruled out.