Amid an acute fuel crisis in Russia, at least two cases of pensioners dying while waiting in line at gas stations have been recorded. In the city of Lysva (Perm Krai), on the evening of July 14, an 80-year-old man died while waiting at a gas station, the local newspaper Iskra reports. According to the Perm Krai Health Ministry, the arriving ambulance crew performed resuscitation measures, but the pensioner could not be saved. Heart failure has been named as the preliminary cause of death.

Earlier, in Petrozavodsk (Republic of Karelia), a 75-year-old driver died while waiting in line to refuel. According to ASTRA, citing eyewitnesses, the tragic incident occurred near the Republican Hospital. The Interior Ministry confirmed the fact of death but did not specify its cause.

The deaths in lines are occurring amid a large-scale fuel shortage that has engulfed all of Russia. According to informed Reuters sources, after strikes by Ukrainian drones, Russia lost about 40% of the capacity of its oil refineries. According to EA Analytics, the volume of oil refining in July fell to 3.91 million barrels per day — the lowest level since 2005 and 27% lower than a year earlier. Energy Intelligence analysts estimate production even lower — at 3.58 million barrels per day, which could become the minimum since 2002.

At present, according to Energy Intelligence, Russia has idle capacity with a total output of about 3.1 million barrels per day, and the monthly shortage of petroleum products is estimated at 400,000–600,000 tons. Official restrictions on fuel sales have been introduced in more than 40 regions; however, according to The Insider’s calculations, various limits and bans are in fact in effect in almost all federal subjects of Russia, as well as in the occupied territories of Ukraine.