Commentators linked the escalation of the gasoline crisis in Kuban to tourists.

In Krasnodar, less than two-thirds of gas stations are operating, and in Anapa, fuel is available at only 24 gas stations, the authorities reported. Long queues and searches for the necessary fuel have returned, bloggers reported. The high demand for gasoline may be related to the tourist season, particularly as tourists are heading home, commentators suggested.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on August 13, more than a third of gas stations in Krasnodar, according to official data, were not operating due to a lack of fuel or other reasons, and drivers again complained about queues and rising gasoline prices. Previously, residents of various cities in the Krasnodar region surveyed by "Caucasian Knot" reported ongoing queues at gas stations and interruptions in gasoline supply. The fuel situation in the city is tense but stable, reported the mayor of Sochi. Local residents, commenting on his report on Telegram, pointed out the queues at gas stations and the lack of gasoline.

Only part of the gas stations are operating in Kuban

The Anapa city administration reported this morning that fuel is available at 24 gas stations.

"At 13 gas stations, restrictions have been introduced by the owners – fuel is dispensed only with fuel cards and for special vehicles. At 17 gas stations, there are restrictions on the amount of fuel dispensed into tanks (92, 95, and diesel at 30 liters – at 5 gas stations; 92, 95, and diesel at 40 liters – at 4 gas stations; diesel at 50 liters – at 7 gas stations; diesel at 60 liters – at 4 gas stations)," the message states.

The city authorities indicated that AI-92 is available at 19 gas stations, AI-95 at 17 gas stations, AI-100 is temporarily unavailable, and diesel at 24 gas stations.

The authorities of Krasnodar reported that as of the morning of August 16, 74 gas stations are operating in the city. 32 gas stations have no fuel at all, and another 9 gas stations are closed for repairs or rebranding. Available: AI-92 — at 37 gas stations, AI-95 — at 34 gas stations, AI-100 — at 5 gas stations, diesel — at 69 gas stations, the message in the Telegram channel of the Krasnodar MTSU states.

Bloggers Andrey Makovozov reported that on the way from Krasnodar airport towards Anapa, "he did not encounter a single gas station where he could refuel with gasoline properly."

"Rosneft" — no gasoline. "Lukoil" — empty. Other gas stations — also at zero. Somewhere there is only diesel and gas, and even that is not everywhere. And this is almost all the way to Anapa.

"Rosneft" — no gasoline. "Lukoil" — empty. Other gas stations — also at zero. Somewhere there is only diesel and gas, and even that is not everywhere. And this is almost all the way to Anapa. Somewhere prices are posted, supposedly gasoline is available. You drive in — there is no gasoline. At Vinogradnoye, where the turn to Blagoveshchensk is, there is no gasoline at "Rosneft", but at "RusOyl" there is a huge queue that goes deep into the village. The only place where I saw gasoline now is across from Pyatihatki, in Voskresensk, at the "RusOyl" gas station," he pointed out.

According to the record, this gas station has all types of fuel available — AI-95 — 84.5, AI-92 — 79.5, but there was a queue.

"The end of the queue is simply not in sight. And the most telling thing is that now it seems people are no longer concerned about prices or fuel quality. The main thing is to refuel in time!" — writes the blogger.

This message received 24 comments by 19:00 Moscow time in his Telegram channel "Makovozvy".

"People probably want to go home, they are standing, waiting in line," suggested Pavel.

"Yesterday from Rostov to Krasnodar there was no gasoline on the highway. In Krasnodar, you can refuel, but +-100 rubles for AI-92, 95 is more difficult, yesterday I refueled AI-95 at Atana for 129 rubles. The limit was 20 liters and there was no queue. The area of the Western bypass," writes Anatoly Kuzmin.

"Lukoil is constantly empty, Gazpromneft still helps, but you have to stand for 4 hours. Rosneft is the same," writes Nadezhda.

I stood in line for 7 hours.

Blogger Yuri Ozarovsky published an appeal from a subscriber.

I want to draw the attention of the management of "Gazpromneft" and subscribers to the situation with refueling in Anapa. I stood in line for 7 hours. The reason became clear only at the pump: the queue is regulated by unknown individuals who let their acquaintances skip the line (I personally saw how people hugged the regulator, after which he placed them at the front). In addition, these same people offer to buy a place in line or refueling from a canister for a separate fee. Previously, the police were on duty at this gas station. Now there is only a DPS crew that claims to be responsible only for traffic jams and has no relation to the gas station area," she said.

Tourists will leave, it will be a little easier.

Blogger Max Anski called the seven-hour queues "mockery."

"Tourists will leave, it will be a little easier. And this nonsense with a bunch of gas stations on fuel cards now essentially drives everyone to a few other gas stations. I went to RusOyl twice for 79.50 for AI-92 gasoline. And I stood for 3 hours from midnight to 3 AM in Voskresensk," he wrote.

"This is happening everywhere. While I was there at Rosneft at the intersection of Soldatskoye and Anapskoye highways, a person drove in from the other side of the queue, shook hands with a Cossack, and got in line without waiting. Rosneft in Anapa is a joke, Cossacks rent out fuel cards from their pockets. They were returned, of course, with money," writes Denis.

"Price cuts won't solve the problem. Well, there won't be a 7-hour queue, but a 3-hour one. It won't get easier, and prices will rise again," writes EM.

"At 250 rubles per liter, there won't be any queues at all," retorted Max Anapsky.

I ask the management of the network to investigate who exactly regulates the queue under the agreement with the gas station, to stop the trade in places, and to restore order. If the situation does not resolve, I will be forced to send an official complaint through the feedback form on the company's website.