With the first days of the Russian war on Ukraine on February 24, there were signs of a fuel crisis on the horizon, caused by the high demand at the stations before the displacement, and the decline - or even stopping - of the supply operations to them.

As a result of this new reality, fuel prices jumped quickly, by about 30-35%, before the government intervened with a decision to cancel some fees and reduce value-added taxes, bringing the rate of increase down to about 10%.

However, some types of fuel at the stations maintained their high prices, due to their current scarcity, such as gas, whose imports depended - mainly - on Belarusian sources, before the borders were closed.

Some fuels will disappear

And because supplies from Russia, Belarus and across the Black Sea have completely stopped, about half of the gas stations in Ukraine have been closed, and Ukrainians have to accept a new reality in this field.

“We will no longer have sources for A-92 gasoline, it will completely disappear,” says Sergey Koyon, an expert at the A-95 Group, a consultancy specializing in fuel supplies and prices. ".

"Gradually, gas will also disappear from gas stations, and therefore, the process of converting cars from expensive gasoline to cheap gas has become a thing of the past," he added.

He added, "We are now importing gasoline and diesel from Europe, and they do not have A-92 gasoline based on their standards, and the quantities of gas used for their cars are not enough to cover the entire need of the Ukrainian market."

However, Koyon sees the fuel market as stable in Ukraine, because diesel is available, and closing half of the stations is better than no supply.

Fuel prices jumped quickly in Ukraine by about 30-35%, before the government intervened (Reuters)

Strikes ominously

But others do not share this opinion, and see that the next - starting from this April - will be worse, and will include a shortage of diesel as well.

"The need for diesel fuel will double from mid-April, with the beginning of the planting season, and the demand of agricultural companies and farmers for this fuel," says Dmytro Lushkin, head of the Prime Group's network of stations.

He pointed out, in this context, that the recent focus of Russian missile strikes on fuel storage depots throughout the country aims - in addition to cutting supplies to the Ukrainian army - to accelerate the process of running out of fuel in the Ukrainian market, and the growing need for it.

He pointed out - in the same context - that "gradually, this is happening, as many stations legalize sales operations, and this complicates the lives of the population, and creates parallel economic and social crises."

What do residents and drivers think?

Ordinary people in Ukraine have different opinions about the current or upcoming fuel crisis, between those who fear its repercussions on their pockets and prices, and others who consider it a test to be passed.

In the city of Lviv in western Ukraine, whose situation is much better than others in this regard, Ms. Ludmila tells Al Jazeera Net, "High fuel prices mean higher prices for vegetables, fruits, transportation, electricity, services, heating and everything. Millions have lost their jobs. And this is scary."

To Al Jazeera Net, the taxi driver Anton says, "Sometimes, you have to spend a long time in front of gas stations several times a day, let alone those who want to travel long distances."

Regarding the absence of some types of fuel, Anton says, “Reliance on A-92 gasoline includes owners of old or cheap cars, and they are many, but the biggest problem lies in the decline in gas supplies for cars, on which up to 70% of private cars and transport buses depend. ".

He continued, "This is very difficult for us, but it is an important test that we must pass. We demand the world to stop the supplies of Russian oil and gas to stop the war, and we must tell the respondents that forcing the Russians to stop the war will gradually restore things to normal."