(KYIV, Ukraine) – Ukraine is not facing a fuel shortage, but the market remains under strain from what industry analysts describe as a logistics stretch. The rise in pump prices across the country reflects a sharp increase in demand coupled with limited stockpiling by traders, rather than any break in supply.
Serhiy Kuyun, director of the A-95 Consulting Group, told Ukrainian Radio that Ukraine buys finished petroleum products rather than crude oil because the country lacks sufficient refining capacity. While crude oil prices have fallen, the cost of ready fuel products has not moved lower in the same way. That gap feeds directly into retail prices at service stations.
Kuyun explained that the current pressure does not amount to a deficit. Instead, it is a logistical strain. Demand has jumped, yet traders are holding back from building large reserves because of security risks. The agricultural sector is one of the main forces pushing up consumption. With Russia effectively blocking Ukraine’s seaborne agricultural exports by shutting ports, farming operations have shifted their transport routes toward land borders. Industrial buyers are also placing heavy demand on the market. That broad based consumption is keeping prices firm.
Storage remains a critical vulnerability. Kuyun noted that fuel storage tanks are a direct target for enemy strikes. If filling stations and fuel trucks are being hit, he said, the risks to large tank farms are even greater. The government is now looking at options for underground storage, an approach that could help ease the pressure.
Despite attacks on roughly 200 filling stations, retail prices remain uniform across all regions of Ukraine. Kuyun said this consistency shows that damaged stations are being brought back into service. There is no extra risk premium added to fuel sold in areas close to the front line.
According to data from Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance, average fuel prices as of 31 July were as follows. Premium A-95 petrol stood at 84.27 Ukrainian hryvnia per litre, equivalent to approximately $2.29, £1.79 or €2.08. Standard A-95 petrol was 81.19 hryvnia per litre, or about $2.21, £1.73, €2.00. A-92 petrol averaged 77.75 hryvnia per litre, roughly $2.11, £1.65, €1.92. Diesel fuel was priced at 91.99 hryvnia per litre, or around $2.50, £1.95, €2.27. Autogas sold for 43.52 hryvnia per litre, approximately $1.18, £0.92, €1.07.