Omsk region becomes first in Russia to fully lift fuel sale limits

Omsk Oblast became the first Russian region to completely abolish retail fuel sale restrictions, removing both a ban on selling fuel in canisters and quantitative limits. The ban on dispensing fuel into canisters was lifted on July 6, and the quantitative limits were removed later.

The restrictions had been in place since June 22: per refueling, customers could buy no more than 40 liters of gasoline and 80 liters of diesel, and at highway gas stations up to 200 liters of diesel. The ban on selling fuel in canisters was lifted earlier.

Besides Omsk Oblast, at least 17 other regions have eased measures, according to The Insider. However, this does not mean fuel is again sold freely at all gas stations in those regions.

Lukoil lifted limits at its gas stations in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Leningrad Oblast. Gazprom removed restrictions in Astrakhan, Volgograd, and Rostov Oblasts, Krasnodar and Stavropol Krais, and along the M-4 Don highway.

At many Moscow gas stations operated by Gazprom Neft, a limit of 30 liters remains in effect. Other chains also set their own rules.

In some regions, the allowed purchase volume was only increased, not abolished. For example, in Vologda Oblast, Karelia, and Saratov Oblast, the limit was raised to 40 liters of gasoline, but restrictions remain. In Karelia, customers may buy no more than 60 liters of diesel per refueling, and heavy truck drivers up to 250 liters.

In the Altai Republic, rules were tightened instead. Starting July 27, at least 24 hours must pass between two refuelings of the same vehicle. Authorities said this is to combat multiple refuelings and resale of fuel. The republic also has limits of 30–50 liters of gasoline and 50–100 liters of diesel depending on the district.

Fuel sale restrictions began to be introduced in Russia amid a fuel crisis that has been ongoing since early June. The cause was strikes by Ukrainian drones on Russian oil refineries.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service said that following inspections of gasoline price increases, it initiated administrative proceedings against a number of gas stations in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Perm Krai, and the Komi Republic. The FAS also issued warnings to gas station owners in Kursk, Orenburg, and Penza Oblasts and in the occupied territory of Kherson Oblast.