Belarusians go to Russia for cheap fuel

The government doesn't like the trend.

Many dwellers of the Homel region go to Russia to buy cheap petrol and diesel fuel after a sharp devaluation of the Russian ruble. Motorists save 90,000 Belarusian rubles when buying 20 litres of diesel fuel, Radio Svaboda reports.

Three filling stations are located near the Russian border crossing point Krasny Kamen on the Homel-Bryansk road. Queues of five or more Belarusian cars can be seen at each of them. Drivers fill tanks, petrol cans and self-made metal containers with fuel.

Many drivers came from Homel.

“Of course, it's profitable! It's cheaper! You pay 140,000 Belarusian rubles per can. 20 litres cost 140,000. I save 90,000 rubles on each can. This is for my personal use, I don't sell fuel,” a motorist from Homel says.

According to him, he visited the filling station on his way from Novozybkov (Russia), where he went on shopping. “We went on shopping and dropped by the filling station to buy cheap fuel,” he says.

Another driver from Homel says he buys petrol at a Russian filling station for the first time. He hasn't made any conclusions so far, but already sees sense in buying fuel in Russia. “It's my first time. I haven't calculated it yet, but it's cheaper due to the difference in the exchange rates,” he says.

The Homel resident doesn't know how much fuel to buy to avoid problems with Belarusian customs and police officers. “I heard 100 litres is allowed,” he says.

His fears have grounds. A mobile customs station to check vehicles recently appeared on the Homel-Bryansk road near the village of Selishcha. The Homel police reports about the seizure of excessive fuel from motorists in the Vetka district near the border.

The Homel customs office says customs officers pay less attention to cars and check only trucks.

“The control over fuel is not our priority. There are restrictions concerning the bringing of fuel and alcohol into the country. But it is not the same as bringing fuel from the Russian Federation. In this case, safety requirements for carrying fuel must be fulfilled. It's dangerous to carry more than 100 litres of flammable liquid in unequipped vehicles,” the customs office says.

Restrictions on carrying fuel are set in the Code of Administrative Offences. Carrying more then 100 litres of fuel in addition to that in the tank is punished with a fine of up to 15 million rubles and the confiscation of extra fuel.

Prices at filling stations near Belarusian Dobrush show that it is profitable to buy fuel in Russia: a litre of AI-92 petrol costs 32 Russian rubles on the border and 46 Russian rubles at the filling station in Dobrush.