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- It's no longer a bargain: government fuel purchases have begun to break down in the regions
It's no longer a bargain: government fuel purchases have begun to break down in the regions
The shortage in the fuel market began to disrupt public procurement in the regions — Izvestia found at least ten failed, canceled or repeated auctions. In Samara, no one wanted to supply gasoline to the regional medical center, in Tambov, the administration's truck depot was left without fuel, and in Stavropol, rescuers repeatedly overannounced the purchase. It is more profitable for suppliers to sell gasoline at retail than to get involved with a fixed price of a government contract. This threatens budgets with unnecessary expenses, although ambulances, buses and utilities save reserves and priority supplies. Who from the regions is having the hardest time and what the authorities intend to do about it — in the Izvestia article.
How fuel shortage affected public procurement
Fuel problems have reached hospitals, social services and municipal car parks: it is becoming increasingly difficult for government agencies to buy gasoline and diesel through auctions. Izvestia studied the purchase cards in the Unified Information System, on electronic platforms and from specialized aggregators. In May-June 2026, it was possible to confirm at least ten canceled, failed or repeated procedures - their number tripled compared to the same period last year.
The most acute problem is that suppliers sometimes do not come to the auction at all. So, the Samara regional medical center "Dynasty" wanted to buy 8.5 thousand liters of AI-92 for 580 thousand rubles, but did not receive a single application. For the same reason, the purchase of AI-95 for 28 thousand for the Gatchina Darina Rehabilitation Center in the Leningrad region did not take place.
Moreover, not only small contracts remain without competition. In Tambov, the purchase of gasoline and summer diesel for the carpool of the city administration for 2 million was disrupted. And in the Vladimir region, the bidding of the Gorelektroset company for 2.2 million rubles was declared invalid.
Another scenario is that there are those who want to, but none of them fits the requirements. In the Lipetsk region, the purchase of fuel for 100 thousand for the administration remained without authorized participants. The same reason is indicated in the bidding card for fuels and lubricants for vehicles in the LPR.
In some cases, institutions still receive fuel, but without full-fledged competition. In the Krasnodar Territory, the purchase of diesel for the Tuapse social service center did not take place, but the contract was then concluded. A similar situation arose in the Stavropol Territory: the fire and rescue service returned several times to the purchase of gasoline and diesel. The latter was declared invalid, after which the contract was issued with a single supplier.
The disruptions affected not only budget institutions, but also state-owned companies that conduct purchases according to their own rules. So, in May, Passazhirrechtrans canceled auctions for fuel for bunkering ships. Another purchase of gasoline and diesel was declared invalid, as only one participant was allowed to participate in it. The region and the customer are not specified in the open card.
At the same time, a "failed purchase" does not always mean that the institution is left without gasoline. But in all cases, competition did not work: suppliers did not come, did not qualify, or the participant was left alone.
Izvestia sent inquiries to the regions and the mentioned institutions.
Why suppliers don't want to sell gasoline to state employees
The main reason for disruptions is the difference between the price of the government contract and the changing cost of fuel. It takes several weeks to prepare the purchase, and by the time of bidding, the pledged amount may already lag behind the market, explained Freedom Global analyst Vladimir Chernov. As a result, the supplier buys gasoline at a higher price than the customer expected, and incurs shipping, storage, and fuel card costs.
If quotes continue to rise, the contract quickly becomes unprofitable, while it is almost impossible to revise its terms after signing, the expert noted. Therefore, it is easier for companies to work with commercial clients, where the price can be changed faster. Additionally, deferred payments, fines, and the obligation to guarantee supplies are discouraged.
Small purchases are most difficult in remote areas: the volume may not pay for delivery, especially if the tank farm or gas station are located at a great distance, Vladimir Chernov added. The competition is also limited by the requirements for the location of a gas station near a hospital, carpool, or fire station — sometimes only one network corresponds to them. Long-term fixed-price contracts are also risky: the longer the term, the higher the probability of an increase in wholesale quotations without the possibility of revision.
The tension increases the overall price increase. According to Rosstat, gasoline has risen in price by almost 14% since the beginning of the year, diesel — by 15%, and in some regions it is noticeably stronger. In Sevastopol, by the end of June, gasoline had increased by about 30% in one week, and in a number of regions, the weekly jump reached 8-9%. In such conditions, it is more profitable for suppliers to sell fuel to industrial customers and independent gas stations than to participate in public procurement, says Sergey Kaufman, an analyst at Finam. Competition for the resource was also intensified by the reduction in trading volumes on the wholesale market.
On July 10, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said: there is a shortage of fuel in the Russian fuel market, as refineries are partially out of order due to arrivals. The authorities are doing everything possible to strengthen the protection of the factories. Earlier, to stabilize the situation, the government restricted exports, expanded imports and changed exchange rules.
How regions solve the problem of fuel shortage
Against the background of the shortage, the regions are trying to stretch their existing reserves and achieve additional supplies. So, in the Voronezh Region, from the end of June, no more than 30 liters of gasoline and 60 liters of diesel were released at a time at Lukoil city gas stations, and 60 and 200 liters on highways. The same measures have been taken in the Kaliningrad and Irkutsk regions.
Similar restrictions apply in the Rostov region. According to the regional government, a limit of 30 liters of gasoline and 60 liters of diesel was introduced for passenger cars, and 200 liters of diesel fuel for trucks and special vehicles. At the same time, ambulances, emergency and utility services, fuel and energy complex and Russian Railways enterprises, as well as municipal and inter-municipal buses refuel without restrictions. The authorities monitor gas station stocks on a daily basis and hold weekly headquarters meetings with major oil companies. According to them, there is fuel in the region, and disruptions are associated with complex logistics and refinery repairs.
Since July 4, cars with the first digit of the number 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 have been serviced in the Orel region on even dates, and on odd dates — 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9. All 57 gas stations of Rosneft and Gazprom were switched to round-the-clock operation, a map of stocks and queues was launched, and police were sent to the station.
At the same time, important equipment for the region was removed from the general queue. As the government of the Orel region informed Izvestia, the lists of vehicles from hospitals, emergency services and other institutions were handed over to Gazprom and Rosneft, and their refueling was organized at dedicated pumps. There were no disruptions in supplies for state and municipal needs.
In July, the order by numbers was also introduced in Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod, Pskov, Lipetsk and Kirov regions. In Kirov, two gas stations were allocated for ambulances, police, firefighters, emergency services and public transport.
The situation remains the most difficult in Crimea. The press service of the region, in response to a request from the editorial board, referred to statements by the head of the republic, Sergei Aksyonov. He warned that there would be no gasoline on free sale on some days, and no large shipments were expected yet. According to him, public transport and utilities are provided with fuel, but their work has to be monitored manually. The introduced emergency mode makes it possible to purchase fuel and generators more quickly.
Providing state and municipal needs with fuel remains a priority and is under special control of the Ministry of Energy, the ministry told Izvestia. Regions form applications based on the needs and specifics of logistics. Supplies from the refinery are proceeding normally, they added.
What is the danger of an increase in the number of failed purchases?
An increase in the number of failed auctions will primarily delay the conclusion of new contracts and increase budget expenditures. Customers will have to re-announce procedures and raise the initial price following the market, explained Vladimir Chernov from Freedom Global. The longer it takes to find a supplier, the more expensive the fuel may end up being.
According to the expert, most government agencies have reserves, reserve contracts, or the ability to buy fuel in small batches. However, with repeated disruptions, the risks will increase, especially in remote areas.
Less important areas may feel the effects more strongly. Municipalities may have to postpone household chores, reduce unnecessary trips and increase traffic intervals, experts say.
Vladimir Putin also said earlier that the safety margin of the energy system is sufficient. He instructed oil companies not to limit the supply of fuel at their gas stations and to work more actively with independent networks.
The president called the enemy's attempts to damage the economy and create a nervous atmosphere in society an impossible task. The attacks and fuel problems haven't stopped ambulances, buses, and utilities—they're being saved by supplies and manual controls. But the longer it takes suppliers to avoid state contracts, the more expensive each liter will cost the budget.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
