39 hours in line for gas: One driver’s road trip through Russia’s fuel crisis

Since mid-June, Russia has been gripped by a fuel crisis, with drivers spending hours—even entire days—waiting at gas stations. According to Meduza, a driver named Vlad recently experienced this firsthand while returning home to Saint Petersburg from Vladivostok with his wife. In Chita, he pulled into a gas station to fill up and found himself waiting thirty-six hours in line. The experience went viral when Vlad posted a video on Instagram; thousands of comments from Russians vented their frustration over the shortage. In an interview with the independent journalist cooperative Bereg, Vlad blamed authorities for not responding forcefully enough to the crisis.

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