© engin akyurt via Unsplash
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Krasnoyarsk, Siberia’s third-largest city. During the working visit, he met with Mikhail Kotyukov, the governor of the Krasnoyarsk Krai, to discuss local economic and regional developments.
Shortly before the Russian president’s visit, local residents noticed a sharp drop in prices at the pump: the price of AI-95 fell from 91 to 67 rubles per liter, according to the local news outlet Prospekt Mira. The day after Vladimir Putin’s visit, the price suddenly rose again to 91 rubles, while prices for other fuels also increased.
The state-controlled fuel company attributed the temporary drop to improved logistics and additional deliveries. Reportedly, a similar price drop also occurred during Putin’s visit to Irkutsk two weeks earlier.
These unusual fluctuations are occurring against the backdrop of a broader fuel shortage in Russia, caused in part by Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries and wider supply disruptions. Russian gasoline prices have risen significantly over the past year: AI-95 has become nearly 20% more expensive compared to June 2025.
Illustration: © engin akyurt via Unsplash