On the evening of August 2, the Krasnoyarsk gas station chain Krasnoyarsknefteprodukt (KNP) sharply cut fuel prices, according to the news outlet NGS24. The price of AI-92 gasoline fell from 87 to 63 rubles per liter, AI-95 from 91 to 67 rubles, and AI-98 from 121 to 96 rubles. Diesel fuel, according to published data, did not become cheaper.
Users of the Telegram chat "Gas nearby | Krasnoyarsk | Where's gas?" report that prices also dropped at stations of other chains, including Gazprom Neft, Rosneft, and Lukoil. Queues at gas stations have noticeably shortened. The government of the Krasnoyarsk region attributed the changes to the delivery of a new batch of fuel. KNP itself said the move was due to a "temporary improvement in logistics" and the arrival of additional fuel directly from the refinery in Achinsk, but warned that prices could change again once the batch runs out.
Novaya Gazeta Europe and local media link the price cuts to a possible visit by Vladimir Putin to Krasnoyarsk. On the morning of August 3, an Aurus limousine used by top state officials was spotted on the city's right bank. Traffic and parking were restricted on several streets, and driving schools were banned from holding practical lessons. State agencies later confirmed that Putin had arrived in the city.
A similar coincidence occurred during Putin's trip to Irkutsk in late July. At one of the largest local gas station chains, the price of AI-95 fell by 12.6 rubles to 68.9 rubles per liter. At Rosneft stations, gasoline was sold at a comparable price in early July, so the reduction was not citywide, notes The Insider.
Since mid-July, Russia has been experiencing a fuel crisis due to increased Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries, writes Novaya Gazeta Europe. Gasoline prices rose, multi-hour queues appeared at gas stations, and almost all regions have imposed restrictions on fuel sales. In mid-July, KNP began selling AI-95 by coupons due to supply disruptions, and at some private gas stations in Krasnoyarsk, prices reached 135 rubles per liter.