The rise in prices at private gas stations in Chechnya has become a method of combating queues.
At private gas stations, which are the majority in Chechnya, prices have risen significantly in the absence of substantial competition from vertically integrated companies, and there are no queues for expensive gasoline. At the "Rosneft" gas stations, which keep prices at the same level, there is a lack of fuel, drivers reported.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", AI-95 at "Rosneft" gas stations in Chechnya is sold at 73 rubles per liter, while at private gas stations the price is already 105 rubles, leading to queues for cheap gasoline, where people have to wait for several hours. At the same time, "Rosneft" sells only 20 liters, which does not meet demand, car owners reported.
A businessman from Chechnya anonymously reported that currently at private gas stations, where gasoline is delivered, the prices for AI-95 exceed 100 rubles per liter.
Gasoline is available at all private gas stations for 110-115 rubles, and they are the majority.
"At corporate gas stations, the prices are the same, but there is no gasoline. The situation in Grozny the day before yesterday was as follows: gasoline is available at all private gas stations for 110-115 rubles, and they are the majority. And there are no queues. The only gas station of a large corporation in Chechnya - Rosneft, was closed, the price there is the same, but there is no fuel," the businessman said.
He expressed concerns that "small refineries" might reopen, where low-quality fuel will be produced.
"Already now, some bases are offering clear rubbish instead of gasoline. There are revived discussions about mini-factories that used to be samovar-type, and I think there is permission to quickly launch these factories," the businessman said.
He reminded that a refinery has not been opened in Chechnya.
"There is an organization called Grozneft, it belongs to "Rosneft", and here they do not refine oil, but simply extract and take it away. "Rosneft" has its own gas stations in the republic, but all fuel is imported," the businessman noted.
In the context of the all-Russian trend of limits on gasoline sales, Chechnya decided to combat queues by raising prices.
In his opinion, the situation is generally controllable, but overall fuel shortages are a nationwide problem, not just specific to the republic.
"Roughly speaking, they gave the green light to pay more for fuel. In neighboring North Ossetia, for example, there is a "Rosneft" gas station, gasoline is cheaper there, but there are crazy queues, and since prices are inflated at private gas stations, they are used less. And in Chechnya, prices have basically equalized," the businessman explained.
A human rights activist familiar with the situation in Chechnya stated that this picture is observed throughout the country, not just in Chechnya.
"If the situation differs from the nationwide one, it is because the gas stations mainly belong to Kadyrov's entourage and they dictate the prices," he told the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".
In Chechnya, they have taken a market approach, overcoming the supply crisis through price increases.
Member of the Adam Smith Council, political scientist Sergey Boyko stated that network gas stations of vertically integrated oil companies ("Rosneft", "Lukoil", "Gazpromneft", etc.) keep prices, while other gas stations are forced to buy at exorbitant prices on the exchange.
"In Chechnya, they have taken a market approach, overcoming the supply crisis through price increases. In other regions, they are trying to regulate by volumes. In any case, local shortages and high prices are here to stay for a long time," he is convinced.
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