There Is Shortage Of Gasoline In Ukraine. Gas Stations May Stop Selling Fuel At Retail - Expert

Problems with fuel at gas stations began in Kyiv and the regions. It is possible that the retail sale of gasoline at gas stations will be suspended.

Serhii Kuiun, director of the A-95 Consulting Group, stated this, Segodnya reports.

According to Kuiun, because of the war, traders cannot buy fuel in the Russian Federation and Belarus. Besides, due to the fighting in the south of the country, it is impossible to import raw materials through seaports.

"After the outbreak of war, the opportunity to buy fuel in Russia and Belarus, as well as import it through seaports, was closed for Ukrainian traders. There is nothing left but to buy fuel in Europe. When everyone began to buy it in neighboring countries, there was a deficit and prices for Ukrainian traders increased," Kuiun explains.

Large companies began to sign contracts for the supply of fuel directly from European ports.

"A logistical problem has emerged. In Europe, there is no free rolling stock to deliver this fuel to Ukraine. Now there is a particularly big problem with gasoline, while the supply of diesel fuel in Ukraine is greater," Kuiun continues.

According to the expert's forecasts, in the coming weeks at gas stations there will continue to be a shortage of fuel, especially gasoline.

"If there is fuel on sale, restrictions will be imposed on refueling of 10-20 liters at a time. But many chains will stop serving retail customers altogether, and will sell fuel to corporate clients at zero, but restrictions will also be introduced here. For example, no more than 100 liters of diesel will be poured into a truck, and no more than 20 liters at a time will be poured into a car," Kuiun continues.

The expert also recalled that Ukrainians should forget about the 92nd gasoline. The fact is that in Europe it is not sold, and it was produced only at the Kremenchukg refinery, which was disabled by a missile strike from Russia. Now the reserves of this fuel are running out and there will be nowhere to take it.

The expert does not exclude that some of the networks may simply begin to ignore government restrictions and sell fuel at higher prices.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the Ministry of Economy increased the maximum cost of gasoline (taking into account the maximum level of the trade markup) by 1% to UAH 33.53 per liter, and diesel fuel - by 0.6% to UAH 37.65 per liter on April 12. And on April 22, it increased the maximum cost of gasoline (taking into account the maximum level of the trade markup) by 0.7% to UAH 34.1 per liter, and diesel fuel - by 2.7% to UAH 38.66 per liter on April 22.

On March 15, the Verkhovna Rada abolished the excise tax on fuel and reduced the rate of value added tax (VAT) on its supplies and imports from 20% to 7%.

Earlier, the Cabinet of Ministers set the maximum markup of UAH 5 per liter for gasoline and UAH 7 per liter for diesel fuel and tied prices to the data of the international information agency Platts CIF NWE.

At the same time, on February 9, 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers reduced the maximum level of the trade markup to UAH 4.55 per liter for gasoline and to UAH 5 per liter for diesel fuel.