Despite global crisis, there will be no shortage in Ukraine, petrol station operators keep prices in check and protect stations from strikes – Starovoitenko
Despite the global fuel crisis, fuel supplies to Ukraine remain steady; there will be no shortage, and the largest petrol station operators are keeping prices in check and installing protective engineering measures at stations to protect people from enemy strikes.
Yaroslav Starovoitenko, president of the Oil and Gas Association of Ukraine, which brings together the largest petrol station chains, said this in an interview with Ekonomichna Pravda, as quoted by Censor.NET.
Starovoitenko: Ukraine has sufficient fuel stocks
"We are more flexible because we have been living under wartime conditions for five years, while Europe only hears about the war. When attacks on our fuel depots began in 2022, Ukrainian companies started looking for ways to keep operating. In particular, they are optimising logistics and diversifying supply sources. Fuel reaches us not only from Europe but also from America, the East and the Mediterranean. Ukraine therefore has sufficient stocks of petroleum products, regular supplies and established communication with Ukrzaliznytsia and the government. All contracts are fully covered, for end consumers, industry and, first and foremost, the military," the association’s president stressed.
He noted that the US–Iran conflict caused the sharp rise in fuel prices worldwide. This directly affects Ukraine as well, because we purchase petroleum products at global market prices.
"After the enemy destroyed all our oil refineries in 2022, Ukraine has been buying fuel abroad at global prices. And when the war between the United States and Iran began in February this year, the global market suffered a major energy shock, and petrol and diesel prices soared. In other words, it is the war between the United States and Iran that is pushing up prices at Ukrainian petrol stations today, not our strikes on Russian oil refineries," the association’s president said.
Petrol station operators strengthen protection against strikes
He also said that Ukrainian petrol station operators are currently focused on protective engineering measures against Russian strikes.
"All petrol station chains are now introducing additional protective engineering measures at their stations. Companies are also purchasing and installing mobile shelters where employees and visitors can take shelter during an air raid alert. All this work is funded by the companies operating the petrol stations. These costs are not factored into fuel prices. Together with the government, we are working to ensure that petrol stations are safe and that people can always refuel at a reasonable price," Yaroslav Starovoitenko said.
