Russia’s Fuel Crisis: QR Code Lottery Now Controls Gas Rations

In a stark reversal for an energy superpower, Russian regions are now rationing gasoline through a digital lottery system. Drivers in cities including Samara, Pskov, Irkutsk, and Sevastopol must enter a QR code draw just for the chance to buy fuel. Local governors are negotiating with the Kremlin over jerry-can quotas—limits on how much spare fuel residents can store. Meanwhile, regional assemblies have voted not to convene, effectively suspending legislative work as the crisis deepens. The system highlights a growing disconnect between Russia’s vast oil exports and its domestic supply. For ordinary drivers, filling a tank now depends on winning a digital raffle.