Russian gas stations are seeing an increase in the sale of diluted fuel, driven by manufacturers' attempts to maintain prices amid shortages and economic problems, Yuri Valko, head of the Russian Union of Automotive Services, told NSN.

According to the expert, price caps force refiners to cut corners on quality by adding cheap octane-adjusting agents to gasoline. This leads to serious engine failures. Recently, owners of several dozen 2025 Geely crossovers suffered engine failures due to poor-quality fuel. Geely Motors attributes the incident to the high levels of oxidants in domestic gasoline, which imported models are not designed to handle.

Valko emphasized that the problem primarily affects independent and regional gas stations, where oversight is weaker. To address it, strict quality oversight is needed nationwide, including inspections at all stages of production and distribution.