27 July 2026

Russia’s fuel crisis has taken another unexpected turn. As shortages continue and drivers struggle to obtain fuel through a rationing system, Ukrainian operatives have reportedly found an unusual way to turn the situation to Ukraine’s advantage. According to reports, fake “VIP” fuel QR codes were offered to drivers hoping to bypass long lines and fuel restrictions in occupied Crimea. Instead of receiving priority access to gasoline, buyers allegedly ended up funding vehicles for a Ukrainian military unit, turning an attempt to outsmart the system into an unexpected outcome.

In the latest episode of Break The Fake, Jonasz Rewiński examines how the operation reportedly worked, why Russia’s fuel crisis created the perfect conditions for it, and what this unusual story reveals about the increasingly unconventional ways the war is being fought.

Chapters:
00:00 Russians buy QR codes that are supposed to give them priority at the pump
03:01 Ukrainian army creates fake codes, uses funds to buy equipment
05:35 Putin again claims Russia did not start the war in Ukraine