Russia's Southern Krasnodar region is experiencing panic buying amid supply disruptions, according to Veniamin Kondratyev in a Telegram post on Tuesday.
This comes following relentless Ukrainian attacks against Russia's energy infrastructure over the past couple of months, including an oil depot in the town of Ust-Labinsk, located within the Krasnodar region, which was set ablaze by a drone strike last week.
Kondratyev, however, has downplayed concerns, saying that the panic buying was the result of supply shortages in neighboring regions and reports on social media.
He noted that there were no fuel shortages in the region and that the temporary supply constraints were only observed at small, private gas stations.
Meanwhile, Russia's Energy Ministry acknowledged the temporary supply constraints resulting from Ukrainian attacks on energy facilities, particularly across the country's southern regions, while noting that a task force had been set to help stabilise energy flows nationwide, according to Reuters.