Russia's six biggest petroleum companies promised to freeze gasoline prices through the end of the year, but the Industry and Energy Ministry did not specify if retail or wholesale prices were in question.
Anatoly Golomolzin, deputy head of the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service, said Tuesday that the service would impose tough sanctions against the companies that only planned to freeze retail prices. If petroleum producers do not freeze wholesale prices as well, independent gas stations could sustain losses, Golomolzin said.
"The companies that want to benefit from the situation at the expense of independent gas stations will be punished," he said.
However, a LUKoil spokesman took issue with the government's plans.
"We are trying to heed consumers' interests and they want to punish us," the spokesman said.
He said LUKoil had not made a decision to freeze wholesale prices, but said it had also not ruled out the move if the government reciprocated.
Alexei Firsov, Sibneft's press secretary, said the company would fix both retail and wholesale prices.
An official from government-owned Rosneft said freezing wholesale suppliers' prices was only logical, but that Rosneft had only decided to freeze retail prices.
"Prices at Rosneft gas stations will remain at the same level until the end of this year," he said.
Surgutneftegaz declined to comment on the move. The Russian-British joint venture TNK-BP said it would issue a press release.
