Transport operators in occupied Sevastopol report receiving only quarter of needed fuel

Transport companies in Sevastopol in temporarily occupied Crimea are receiving only a quarter of the fuel they actually need, resulting in the cancellation of some bus routes.

Source: Krym.Realii (Crimea.Realities), a Radio Liberty project covering life on the occupied peninsula

Quote from Krym.Realii: "In Sevastopol, for several days now passengers have been storming the public transport that remains on routes."

Details: According to the pro-Russian portal Forpost, trolleybuses are running only intermittently due to power outages, some bus routes have been cancelled and intervals between services have increased.

Viktor Rykov, Head of the Russian Union of Transport Companies of Sevastopol, reported that in the current situation, transport companies are being allocated only a quarter of the fuel they actually need.

Some are operating using their own modest reserves with partial assistance from the Russian occupation authorities in the city, although the cost of fuel has long since exceeded the figures stipulated in their contracts.

Contracts were drawn up at RUB 76 (US$0,96) per litre of fuel, while purchases are now having to be made at RUB 145 (US$1,84) per litre.

"Fuel shortages have reduced not only urban transport but also intercity transport by 80%," Rykov said.

Vehicles operated by local state-run transport company Sevelectroavtotrans, which use natural gas as fuel, are being refuelled without queuing, while private carriers have to queue at filling stations alongside taxis and cars.

The Russian-appointed head of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozzhayev, previously said that official and public transport would be refuelled at petrol stations. He also said transport services would continue operating while air-raid warnings are in place, with buses and trolleybuses making brief stops to allow passengers who wish to take shelter to do so.

Razvozzhayev stressed that ferries would still not operate during alerts, as the decision to close the roadstead is taken by the Black Sea Fleet, but compensatory routes would be organised for passengers.

Background:

• The Russian occupying authorities have declared a regional state of emergency in Crimea and Sevastopol.
• Petrol stations in temporarily occupied Crimea, including those belonging to major networks, have begun closing en masse.
• The authorities in temporarily occupied Crimea said they have no timeframe for restoring the free sale of petrol and diesel on the peninsula, stating that fuel supplies are being "regulated" by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• Since the beginning of 2026, Ukraine has carried out more than 20 strikes on Russia's oil infrastructure, including oil refineries, export terminals and pipelines. As of early May, this had already cost Russia over US$7 billion.

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