Russian Antitrust Service Enlists E-Commerce Sites to Block Speculative Fuel Resales

June 22, 2026 Vladimir Tretyakov / Shutterstock Russia’s Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS) said Monday that it is working with major e-commerce and digital classifieds platforms to block speculative fuel resales, as authorities introduce a growing number of measures to address fuel shortages triggered by Ukrainian attacks on oil infrastructure. The popular classifieds site Avito has temporarily hidden all fuel-trading advertisements while it updates its listing policy, according to the Interfax news agency. Major e-commerce marketplaces Ozon and Wildberries, meanwhile, have banned gasoline sales outright. At the same time, FAS said it instructed its regional branches to tighten oversight on fuel sales in the agricultural sector. Officials will increase compliance checks at oil depots, storage facilities and retail gas stations, the agency said. Dozens of Russian regions and annexed Ukrainian territories have seen fuel rationing measures slowly introduced at gas stations in recent weeks. The disruptions arrive at a critical time, with both the peak summer travel and agricultural seasons in full swing. The average price of gasoline in Russia has climbed 6.6% since the start of the year, with a single-week jump pushing national averages to 69.11 rubles per liter ($3.56 per gallon) as of June 15. Last week, FAS launched investigations into two gas station chains in Moscow over possible price gouging at the pumps. The agency also launched probes into three major fuel traders over alleged cartel activities that are believed to have artificially impacted the price of fuel. Russia’s Energy Ministry established an “industry-wide task force” with the country’s largest energy corporations earlier this month to ensure the “stable and efficient operation of the entire energy sector.” In doing so, the ministry acknowledged for the first time that Ukrainian drone strikes were directly to blame for the ongoing “difficulties” in the domestic fuel market. Read more about: Federal Anti-Monopoly Service , Gasoline Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Antitrust Service Investigating Moscow Gas Stations for Possible Price Gouging Neftmagistral and EuroTrans have until June 26 to submit pricing data to the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service for gasoline and diesel sales. 2 Min read Crimea Suspends Gasoline Sales and Distribution of Fuel Vouchers Authorities in the annexed peninsula did not say when they expected sales to resume at local gas stations. 2 Min read opinion Dmitry Nekrasov Did Russia Really Have a Gasoline Crisis? New Data Suggests Otherwise. While there were certainly some shortages in Russia's regions this summer, the picture painted by a new survey could hardly be called a crisis. 3 Min read Russia Sets Gasoline Export Record With Rerouted Supplies Russian gasoline exports have averaged 193,250 barrels per day since December 2022, business daily Vedomosti reported Thursday. 1 Min read