Russians urged to work from home amid fuel crisis

MOSCOW, July 11: Authorities in Russia's Novosibirsk region have urged residents to work remotely and limit travel by car, amid a deepening fuel crisis triggered by Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries.

The region, home to almost three million people, is one of the largest in Siberia by population and a major economic and manufacturing hub.

The announcement comes after Ukraine struck an oil refinery in the neighbouring region of Omsk earlier this week, knocking out one of Russia's largest oil processing facilities by capacity.

More than 90 percent of Russian regions have experienced fuel shortages since June, some of which have introduced rationing at petrol stations and bans on filling jerry cans, according to local media reports and officials.

In a decree dated Wednesday but published by Russian media on Friday, Novosibirsk's regional government recommended employers "switch staff to remote working and reduce fuel consumption".

It also recommended "residents limit travel by private vehicle within the Novosibirsk region and outside its borders until the state of high alert is lifted".�" AFP