Drivers from Kabardino-Balkaria called the rise in prices a blow to the family budget.
The schedule does not always allow standing for several hours for cheap gasoline, and prices at private gas stations are high, drivers from Kabardino-Balkaria reported. According to them, their business is tied to the availability of automotive fuel and its price, and to avoid sharply raising prices and risking losing customers, they have to save on their families.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot"
The situation with the fuel market in Kabardino-Balkaria remains tense: fuel sales at network gas stations are conducted via fuel cards, and prices at private gas stations will remain high, car owners in the republic told a correspondent from "Caucasian Knot".
The fuel crisis has hit small businesses hard
A resident of Nalchik Zaurbek, who is engaged in cheese-making, spoke about the sharply changed rules at network stations and the dynamics of prices.
"Forget about 65-70 rubles for 95-octane at 'Rosneft' for ordinary drivers - from today, they only refuel with corporate fuel cards, gasoline is simply not sold to individuals. Before that, 92-octane was around 67 rubles, 95-octane was about 74 rubles, but they strictly limited it to 20-30 liters per person. At private gas stations, prices have only decreased symbolically, by about 10-15 rubles from the peak values of two months ago. If at the peak 92-octane reached 125 rubles, now they ask for 110-115 rubles, while AI-95 remains at 125-130 rubles per liter," noted 42-year-old Zaurbek.
When logistics double in price, there is simply no profit. We had to cut all secondary expenses from the family budget.
According to him, the fuel crisis has significantly impacted small businesses and family expenses.
"For me as an entrepreneur, cheese-making is tied to the delivery of raw materials from villages and the distribution of finished products to points. When logistics double in price, there is simply no profit. We had to cut all secondary expenses from the family budget: we canceled the planned cosmetic repairs in the house, we spend less on leisure. The constant uncertainty with fuel creates strong psychological stress - you go to work every day and do not know if you will be able to refuel at a normal price and whether all your daily earnings will go into the gas tank," he added.
A taxi driver from Chegem Aslan pointed out the absence of limits at private stations due to high costs and the transition of car owners to gas.
"At private gas stations, there are no formal limits of 20 liters - they fill as much as you want, but due to the price of 130 rubles per liter, people try not to fill more than twenty liters, as their pockets can't handle it. The republic will only be saved by the fact that the vast majority of cars here run on gas - propane and methane literally help in this situation. To avoid overpaying at gas stations, drivers in Kabardino-Balkaria are now massively installing gas equipment in their cars," explained 35-year-old Aslan.
He emphasized that the need to constantly adapt to prices negatively affects income and morale.
"For taxi drivers, every rise in gasoline prices is a direct blow to the family budget. It is impossible to raise transportation tariffs endlessly; clients will simply stop using the service. We have to save on basic things: buying clothes, children's leisure, purchasing quality products. Psychologically, this is exhausting because you are in constant stress due to instability. You walk around all day irritated, thinking not about work, but about where to refuel and how to stretch until the end of the month," the driver shared.
Gasoline shortages have led to the need for strict savings
A resident of Baksana Murad, who works as a sales representative, spoke about queues and trips for fuel to neighboring regions.
"We don't have queues of several kilometers precisely because the main flow of cars runs on gas. But at those network gas stations where gasoline appears at a reasonable price, you can get stuck for a long time. At the only 'Lukoil' gas station in the center of Nalchik, I once had to wait for about four hours - it all depends on luck. Meanwhile, those who travel for work to the neighboring Stavropol region or take relatives to the Mineralnye Vody airport report that there gasoline is freely sold for 65-67 rubles, and there are no wild queues. Some of our car owners specifically go to Stavropol to fill up their tanks and return," said 48-year-old Murad.
At home, we also had to switch to strict savings mode. All this running around for cheap fuel creates a sense of hopelessness and throws you off balance.
Murad noted that forced trips and hours of waiting in line negatively affect personal life and budget.
"Working as a sales representative has become much more difficult, as my schedule directly depends on mobility. Losing four hours in line for gasoline means missed meetings and dissatisfied clients, which immediately hits my earnings. At home, we also had to switch to strict savings mode. All this running around for cheap fuel creates a sense of hopelessness and throws you off balance," he shared.
A driver of an intermunicipal minibus from Prohladny Sergiy confirmed the fuel shortages at network stations and the refueling schedule.
"At 'Rosneft' in Nalchik, 95-octane gasoline is not available every day; interruptions have become constant. The scheme of double refueling in one day has not really taken off here. People have adapted differently: they try to stop at network gas stations either very early in the morning or late in the evening when the queues are smaller. If they manage to catch cheap fuel - great, if not - they refuel at private stations or finish their shift on gas," said 54-year-old Sergiy.
We have postponed the purchase of household appliances, save on maintaining personal transport, and try to buy only the most necessary basic products.
According to him, the constant shortage and rising associated costs affect family plans.
"Passenger transportation is a constant responsibility, and when you don't know if there will be fuel at the gas station, it creates unnecessary nervous tension before each trip. This whole situation with gasoline prices has severely cut the family budget: we have postponed the purchase of household appliances, save on maintaining personal transport, and try to buy only the most necessary basic products. Any unplanned car breakdown now becomes a real disaster for the family," the driver noted.
An entrepreneur from Nalchik Alim, involved in wholesale supplies, believes that the rise in consumer goods prices due to the crisis is inevitable.
"The high price of gasoline affects the family budget not only directly, although people have already started to limit themselves in various trips. The main problem is different: all logistics in the republic are tied to road freight transport. No enterprise will operate at a loss, and ultimately all these costs for expensive fuel will be passed on to us - the end consumers. Prices for products in stores have already started to rise, and by autumn this gasoline crisis will inevitably affect the entire economy of the region," concluded 39-year-old Alim.
Alim added that the entrepreneurial community is experiencing serious anxiety about the future of their businesses.
"Many are currently operating on the edge of profitability. Rising transportation costs eat up all the margins, and we cannot raise wholesale prices sharply - demand will fall. As a result, we have to cut our own income and family budget. There is growing fatigue in society from the constant rise in prices; people are demoralized and do not understand what to expect next. For now, everyone is enduring, but the constant economic pressure is significantly affecting the overall psychological atmosphere in the region," summarized the entrepreneur.
Recall that the fuel problem arose against the backdrop of attacks on oil refineries, including those located in southern Russia. For example, on June 10, a fire occurred in the village of Afipsky on the territory of the oil refinery. On June 5, an oil depot in Ust-Labinsk caught fire, and residents of nearby houses were evacuated. On June 2, a fire occurred at the oil refinery in the village of Ilsk in the Sever region as a result of a drone attack.