Russian TV channel owned by energy giant Gazprom mocks ‘panic-ridden’ Britain over its petrol crisis and likens clamber for fuel to infamous sausage queues of the Soviet Union
- Major pro-Kremlin channel reported the UK was suffering food, fuel shortages
- Correspondent said fuel queues are ‘like sausage shortages in the Soviet Union’
- Channel said it was clear Boris Johnson’s government had ‘no clear rescue plan’
Russian TV has mocked ‘panic-ridden’ Britain over its petrol crisis and likened the clamber for fuel to the infamous sausage queues of the Soviet Union.
Major pro-Kremlin channel NTV reported the UK was in ‘true panic… in the grip of a fuel crisis’ and suffering with food shortages.
The channel is owned by the media arm of energy behemoth Gazprom, which has been accused of cutting gas supplies to Europe threatening a winter of misery.
‘Great Britain is in the grip of a fuel crisis, following a food crisis,’ explained the NTV presenter Lilia Gildeeva before crossing to a correspondent in the UK.
‘The few petrol stations that still have fuel are under siege as car owners are ready to fight for their lives for every litre of fuel. Queues at petrol stations are like sausage shortages in the Soviet Union.’
Russian TV has mocked ‘panic-ridden’ Britain over its petrol crisis and likened the clamber for fuel to the infamous sausage queues of the Soviet Union
Pro-Kremlin channel NTV reported the UK was in ‘true panic… in the grip of a fuel crisis’ and suffering with food shortages (pictured, people queueing for petrol at a Tesco in Rochdale)
NTV’s UK correspondent told the show’s host: ‘Queues at petrol stations are like sausage shortages in the Soviet Union’
Viewers of the pro-Vladimir Putin channel were told: ‘It’s true panic. Earlier it was reported that Misty Albion [Britain] has a drastic shortage of lorry drivers to deliver fuel to petrol stations.
‘This is why people are stock buying, which makes it look even more like the times of Soviet shortages.’
The NTV report said it was ‘unclear how long it will last’ and claimed Boris Johnson’s government appeared out of its depth.
‘It’s unclear how long it will last,’ said the presenter on the Segodnya news bulletin.
‘The army got involved, but it’s pretty obvious the island’s authorities have no clear rescue plan.’
The Communist-led Soviet Union – which collapsed three decades ago in December 1991 – was notorious for queues of sausage meat, bread and consumer goods
A queue as staff at the BP direct motorists to a vacant fuel pump at the Boreham Interchange on the A12 near Chelmsford
The NTV host said Brits were stockpiling fuel making it look ‘even more like the times of Soviet shortages’
The Morrisons supermarket petrol station at Bridport in Dorset is out of fuel amid panic buying by motorists
The correspondent in Britain Liza Gerson told viewers across Russia’s 11 time zones: ‘For a week there were worries of hunger, then several gas companies went bankrupt and residents were scared they would freeze in winter.
‘Now it looks like they won’t be able to stay warm and fed, and even inside the car.’
She spoke to an Uber driver who said he would be hit by petrol shortages.
Meanwhile, a Telegram channel highlighted footage showing a man holding a knife and fighting in the British petrol queues.
‘Englishmen have firmly learned the new phrase, the Petrol War,’ reported Pool N.3 channel.
‘Fights at petrol stations, people are resorting to knives.’
The Communist-led Soviet Union – which collapsed three decades ago in December 1991 – was notorious for queues of sausage meat, bread and consumer goods.
A driver pulled a knife on a motorist and was then run over outside a Welling petrol station yesterday (pictured)