One and a half hours for 20 liters of 95-octane.

      Today, July 13, information appeared on the website WhereBENZ, created by proactive car owners, that gasoline has become available at the Irbis gas station network. Since I do not have a personal driver who can "stand in line for four hours" at the pump, as the Kirov governor noted earlier, I had to go to the gas station myself after work.

      Upon arriving at Luganskaya Street, I noticed that the cars waiting at the gas station were circling around the karting field, standing in the right lane of the Lugansk "ring," and further on — towards the gas station itself. After reaching the end of this queue, I wanted to position myself behind the last car, but I noticed that there was another one nearby. When I asked the driver "where to stand," he shrugged and said he just positioned himself behind the last car in the "tail." So, to avoid confusion, I parked behind him.

      I should note that the queue was moving quite briskly — this gas station has more than 10 pumps, so the speed of filling gasoline is high. Nevertheless, I had to wait in line for about an hour and a half. Among the car owners, there was no sense of tension or hostility: everyone calmly stood in line, no one pushed or tried to squeeze between cars, claiming that "he was standing here." Some peered into car windows and asked for water "brotherly," while others simply got out of their cars and chatted with drivers of other vehicles, discussing the current "gasoline situation." Some claimed that today was literally "the last day" when fuel was still being sold at reasonable prices and that "tomorrow the price will soar."

      By the way, gasoline at this gas station network has indeed become more expensive: a couple of weeks ago, when the wave of gasoline shortages had not yet reached Kirov, I decided to "top off" my tank just in case. Even then, there was a limit at these gas stations, albeit 30 liters. And a liter of 95 XTRim was sold for 82 rubles and 99 kopecks. Now, however, a liter of this fuel costs 89 rubles and 99 kopecks, and the limit per person is 20 liters.

      The queue was moving. Slowly, but the main thing is — it was moving. And after about an hour, I reached the "final stretch" right in front of the gas station. At that moment, a voice from the operator echoed across the gas station, saying something about the 92nd. Thinking that the operator announced that only AI-92 was available, I felt disheartened but intended to fill up with at least that. There were about 7-10 liters of 95 in the tank, and diluting it with the "second" was, in principle, not fatal. However, then, right at the pump, while a car was filling up in front of me, I learned that 95 was available. Honestly — I was overjoyed. Both because there was "the fifth" and because the gasoline hadn't run out right in front of me. In total, I spent an hour and a half in line at the gas station. Yes, this is a bit compared to what other Kirov drivers say and write. For example, last Saturday, my relative "stuck" in line at the gas station on Pотребкооперации Street for five hours. Another acquaintance, taking a day off work to fill up her car, stood in line for 9 hours, but the gasoline ran out literally in front of her.

      I cannot claim that queues at gas stations in Kirov have decreased: they exist, and this is a fact confirmed by photos and videos published by Kirov car owners. I would also find it difficult to say that the situation has improved: judging by the map of the "gasoline application," there are only a few working gas stations in the city, and this is not enough for all car owners. Moreover, most of the drivers are not "stuck" in queues out of whim. Not out of greed or to have fuel in reserve. People have children, elderly parents, villages, and gardens. The former need to be taken to kindergarten, school, clubs, and to the doctor. The latter need to be visited, and groceries and medicines need to be brought. And the garden, which for most is not a whim but a good support, will simply wither away, unable to survive the "gasoline crisis."