Russian authorities have stopped providing residents of occupied Crimea with subsidized liquefied gas in cylinders, Krym.Realii, the Crimea service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, reported on 2 November. The fuel has become scarce in the region amid Ukrainian strikes on Russian logistics in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Since summer, Ukrainian drones have been hitting the Russian trucks and ships that supply occupied Crimea. A year after Russia occupied Crimea, on 23 July 2015, the occupation authorities wanted to provide gas connections to 100% of Crimean settlements within 2 years, Neftegaz reported. Crimea is still not fully connected to gas, Krym.Realii notes. Social media users are now discussing whether the policy reversal could be linked to Russia cutting costs amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the media outlet reports.

Previously, 13 categories of eligible Crimean residents living in homes or apartments without gas connections were entitled to receive liquefied gas free of charge, Krym.Realii reported. They will now have to pay for it.

Dmitry Nadtochaev, head of the occupation’s state gas company Krymgazseti, announced the end of free bottled gas in October. Eligible groups will still get priority, he said.

The emergency rule remains in place, but the promise of free gas does not

The decision came as a surprise to many residents. In July, Russian-installed Crimean leader Sergey Aksyonov had promised to provide residents with free bottled gas for the duration of the state of emergency declared in the region due to fuel and energy shortages, Krym.Realii reported.

“I know that a large number of Crimeans currently need bottled gas. I have decided that bottled gas will be distributed to the population free of charge for as long as the state of emergency remains in effect,” Aksyonov said.

The state of emergency remains in effect. Yet free gas has been replaced by cylinders sold at market prices, the media outlet reports. Officials have not explained why their approach to meeting residents’ needs has changed so abruptly.

Gas prices vary widely, and one village has had no delivery for months

The cost of bottled gas varies significantly across Crimea. Nadtochaev announced a social price of 1,486 rubles (about $18) per cylinder from 19 October. In Yalta, however, bottled gas was offered for 1,155 rubles (around $14), while residents of Vityne village in the Saky district reported prices of 5,000–6,000 rubles ($62–74) per cylinder, Krym.Realii said.

“Gas was delivered about three months ago, so it has already run out. People are left without gas: pensioners, large families, and families of participants in the [so-called] ‘special military operation’,” Tatyana Yakovleva wrote on behalf of Vityne residents.

She said the price was unaffordable for local households and that the district administration had been unable to make a decision for two weeks.

For people with disabilities and other eligible residents, the problem extends beyond the price. According to complaints cited by Krym.Realii, local Russian-installed authorities provide no information about the order in which households will receive supplies or when deliveries are expected. Officials say eligible residents may still receive free gas in limited quantities, with a quota of one cylinder per household every two months.

Ukraine expands its deep-strike units

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 30 October that new decisions had been made for Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to expand their units conducting deep-strike missions. He described Ukraine’s long-range capabilities as a long-term security guarantee and a means of protecting the country’s independence.

In October, Ukrainian forces carried out 20 documented strikes on facilities in Russia’s oil and gas sector, Ukrainian military outlet Militarnyi reports, citing data from its map.