Two Russian women and 30 liters: the ecstasy of scarcity

Two Russian women go into raptures after filling up with 30 liters of gasoline

Ever since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022, pro-Russian propaganda predicted an energy collapse in Europe. Two years later, reality has turned that forecast on its head: it is the Russians themselves who celebrate filling up with 30 liters of fuel as if it were an achievement. Footage circulated on social media shows two women visibly elated after managing to get that amount, a scene that illustrates the shortage now starting to hit the Russian population.

Sanctions bite: fuel runs short in Russia

Western sanctions, far from collapsing Europe, are taking a toll on Russia's domestic supply. While European leaders diversified their sources and built up reserves, Russia faces restrictions on oil and refined product exports, which has led to price hikes and de facto rationing. The 30-liter anecdote is no isolated case: it reflects growing tension at the country's gas stations.

From "you'll run out of gasoline" to the Russian reality

Those who in 2022 predicted a freezing winter for Europeans are now watching their own country suffer the same crisis. The contrast is stark: long queues at Russian service stations have become an everyday sight, while in Spain or Germany gasoline, though expensive, flows without interruption. The irony is lost on no one: Russia's energy self-sufficiency narrative is crumbling.

Electric cars in Russia? More Chinese than Teslas

Amid the fuel shortage, some citizens are looking toward electrification, but with caveats. A few electric vehicles can already be seen in Russia's big cities, though most are Chinese-made, not Teslas. Peine remains low and the charging infrastructure is barely noticeable. Even so, the data suggests the gasoline crisis could accelerate a transition that until now was marginal.

In this context, the celebration over 30 liters of gasoline takes on a bitter tinge. What is routine for any European driver —filling the tank— has become a cause for joy in Russia. History has a way of turning around, and not always where the propagandists expected.