Kathrine Frich
Burning marks into human skin remained part of the official penal system until 1863,
When basic necessities become scarce, panic quickly sets in for everyday consumers.
Prices at the pump skyrocket while drivers wait for hours just to fill their tanks.
Now, one politician wants to punish those cashing in on the crisis using an ancient and brutal method.
A medieval proposal
Vyacheslav Vegner serves as a deputy in the Russian region of Sverdlovsk. He recently suggested reviving a gruesome physical punishment for people who buy and resell gasoline at high rates.
The local politician shared his extreme views with the broadcaster RTVI, according to United24 Media. He specifically blamed middlemen for making a tough situation worse for regular drivers.
“For us, the sharp increase in diesel prices due to these bugs is more painful. Here, I would act in the harshest way. I would brand speculators with a hot iron,” Vegner said.
Burning marks into human skin remained part of the official penal system until 1863, The Moscow Times noted.
Blaming the middlemen
Vegner claims these independent resellers purchased their supplies early and are now demanding massive payouts from citizens. He completely rejected their pricing strategies.
“I don’t think they bought fuel at the new prices,” Vegner said.
The angry lawmaker contrasted these independent operators with giant national energy companies like Lukoil. He completely defended the massive corporate brands.
“What is happening with them is beyond the pale, it simply starts to anger people,” he said, according to United24 Media.
A deepening crisis
These angry remarks arrive as the entire country faces a staggering gasoline shortage. Ukrainian military strikes on key oil refineries severely crippled national output starting in May, U24 Media reported.
Daily production dropped by a massive 25 percent last month. Refineries currently process 85,000 tons a day, falling far short of the required summer demand.
Government officials are now scrambling to arrange emergency energy imports from India and Belarus. They even relaxed strict environmental quality standards just to get more gasoline flowing quickly, The Moscow Times explained.
None of those emergency moves have fixed the soaring costs yet. Retail prices climbed roughly 20 percent over the last year, marking the absolute worst spike since 2010.
Sources: United24 Media, RTVI, The Moscow Times
