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

Since mid-June, Russian drivers have been spending hours — and even entire days — waiting in line at gas stations because of the fuel crisis.

Vlad, a resident of Saint Petersburg, has been on the road for about a week, driving home with his wife from Vladivostok, where they bought a new car.

In Chita, they stopped at a gas station to fill up.

After 36 hours of waiting, Vlad posted a video about it on Instagram; the clip racked up thousands of likes and comments in which Russians vented their frustration over the fuel situation.

The independent journalist cooperative Bereg spoke with Vlad about what it was like to wait in that line and what it looks like to travel across the country during a fuel crisis.

In his view, the authorities are to blame for what is happening — not because they started the war with Ukraine, but because they are not “responding harshly enough.” Meduza is publishing the interview in full. ...