Russian domestic fuel supply and export restrictions

Russia has implemented export restrictions to stabilize its domestic fuel market following supply shortages caused by logistics issues and drone attacks on refineries. In July, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak announced that the ban on gasoline exports would remain in place until the end of the year, though diesel restrictions were slated for removal once the internal market recovered.

By mid-August, the situation evolved into a logistical and economic challenge regarding fuel imports. Shipments of gasoline from India and Morocco have stalled at the port of Murmansk due to a significant price gap. Importers are seeking prices between 110,000 and 150,000 rubles per ton, while the domestic exchange price sits at approximately 77,600 rubles per ton. This disparity is driven by high insurance, delivery, and logistics costs associated with the Russian Arctic. While a trading platform was established at the Kola railway station to facilitate sales, transactions have not yet materialized, leaving importers claiming that selling at domestic price levels is ‘economically unsustainable’.