An expert revealed the truth about the gasoline shortage in Russia.

Sergey Kolobanov, Deputy Director of the Center for Fuel and Energy Sector Economics at the Center for Strategic Research, told RIA Novosti that Russia has sufficient production capacity and gasoline reserves to ensure an uninterrupted supply to the domestic market, even taking into account scheduled and unscheduled maintenance at oil refineries. He also cautioned that car owners should not panic over rumors of fuel shortages or create them artificially by hoarding gasoline, as such actions only drive up prices.

The expert noted that current gasoline and diesel fuel reserves in refinery tanks, oil depots, and the transportation system allow the country's economy to continue operating without a reduction in consumption for several dozen days, even if production were to completely cease. This time is more than sufficient to complete repairs at the refineries. The problem, according to Kolobanov, lies not in the overall shortage, but in the efficient organization of logistics in the event of an emergency.

He emphasized that there is no reason for panic and advised consumers to be more thoughtful about the hysteria being whipped up, as stockpiling fuel "for future use" artificially creates shortages and further increases in prices. As the expert explained, this type of "phantom" shortage and speculative price increases occurs regularly in Russia, every two to three years, following a similar scenario: minor imbalances are inflated by speculative manipulation, triggering a rush at gas stations. Fuel companies, especially small and private ones, being commercial entities, exploit this situation to maximize profits, which ultimately negatively impacts consumers' pockets.

It was previously reported that a system for automatically revoking driver's licenses would be introduced in Russia.

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