Russian refineries will not be able to resume diesel exports on September 1 as planned. The cabinet extended the ban for producers by one more month, until September 30. The restrictions also apply to marine fuel and gasoil.
The government said the decision was necessary to "maintain a stable situation on the domestic fuel market." A full ban on fuel exports for other market participants remains in effect until January 31, 2027. Russia imposed restrictions on diesel exports on July 8 amid a shortage, and had planned to allow producers to resume shipments in September, but those plans were abandoned.
The fuel shortage persists amid Ukrainian strikes on refineries. According to Reuters data cited by The Insider, in August Ukraine carried out at least 21 strikes on Russian oil refineries — a record monthly number since the start of the war. Four of the country's ten largest refineries were hit. By the end of August, gasoline production had fallen to about 70% of domestic demand, and oil refining volumes dropped to near their lowest level in more than 20 years.
Because of the shortage, Russia, traditionally one of the largest exporters of petroleum products, has sharply increased its own purchases abroad. In July, diesel deliveries from Belarus nearly doubled compared to June, reaching a record 162,000 tonnes. Russia also bought fuel in Kazakhstan and began importing gasoline from India. In response to the crisis, the government allowed the sale of fuel under the outdated Euro-3 standard with higher sulfur content.
The restrictions have also affected foreign buyers. Russia's share of diesel imports to Turkey fell to about 20% in August, compared with roughly 85% a year earlier. Turkey began buying record volumes of diesel from the United States and India.