Much of Ukraine is paralysed by a petrol shortage

WHEN UKRAINIANS aren’t talking about war, there’s a fair chance that they are talking about petrol. For the past three weeks the country has found itself in the midst of an acute fuel shortage which means that all but a handful of pumps nationwide are closed to the public. On May 19th the 550km road from Lviv to Kyiv had just two working petrol stations. Each had a queue tailing back several hundred metres. A station on the approach to the capital was also remarkable in being closed but attended by more than 50 vehicles. A rumour had circulated that deliveries might—only might—be arriving in a few hours.

War has made life impossible for Ukraine’s energy planners, damaging critical infrastructure and breaking most supply chains. Before the war began on February 24th, 80% of the country’s fuel was imported. Most of that came by rail from Belarus, now an enemy and participant in the war. A smaller part came by sea, into Black Sea ports now closed by a Russian naval blockade. The only significant local producer, the Kremenchuk oil refinery, was taken offline in April after a series of rocket attacks. Russian rockets have also destroyed a dozen fuel-storage facilities and damaged railways, sometimes restricting what can be carried that way. Meanwhile, the fuel needs of military and emergency vehicles are ratcheting up demand. The same is true of agriculture, now in the middle of sowing season. Ukraine needs about 540,000 tonnes of petrol products a month. It currently has the means to cover only around 70% of that, according to Serhiy Kuyun, an independent energy expert. With the war effort and agriculture taking priority, very little is left for anyone else.