KYIV, May 20 – The shortage of petroleum products will remain until the end of 2022 due to limited logistics capabilities with its delivery to Ukraine, Oleksandr Melnychuk, director for strategic development of the filling station network, said in a press release on Wednesday.

There will be a shortage of fuel. The supply of fuel will be at the level of 40% of the pre-war figures. Because it is now physically impossible to fully provide Ukraine with the necessary volumes of fuel. I would very much like my forecast not to come true, but the deficit will continue until the end of the year," Melnychuk said.

According to him, at present, fuel can be delivered to Ukraine exclusively by road from Europe, and this method of delivery cannot physically provide as much fuel as Ukraine used to receive by rail, as well as from tankers. The situation is complicated by the lack of fuel at Ukrainian oil depots due to shelling by Russian invaders.

Due to the above factors, Melnychuk expressed doubt that the decision of the operational headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers to abandon state regulation of fuel prices would lead to a decrease in the shortage of oil products.

Some people think that as soon as restrictions on fuel prices are lifted, it will immediately appear on free sale. In fact, this is not the case. Price regulation does not affect the amount of fuel inside Ukraine," he said. (om/ez)