Russia has begun importing gasoline from Morocco, Reuters reported, citing two industry sources. A Panama-flagged tanker loaded about 30,000 tonnes of AI-92 fuel at the Moroccan port of Tangier in mid-July and is now unloading in the Arctic port of Murmansk.
The fuel supplier was Lukoil, the sources told the agency. The company's press service did not respond to Reuters' request. According to the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange, AI-92 gasoline is already being offered for delivery by rail from the Kola station, which serves the Murmansk port.
Moscow began importing fuel amid a domestic market crisis triggered by Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries. By early July, Russian gasoline production had fallen to about 65% of average summer consumption, with a total fuel shortfall of 700,000–800,000 tonnes, Reuters noted.
Russia has also started buying gasoline from India and Kazakhstan. The first tanker with Indian gasoline, carrying 42,000 tonnes, arrived at the Vityino port in the Murmansk region in late July — the fuel was purchased from the Vadinar refinery. In total, India agreed to supply about 100,000 tonnes; the sender of both shipments is Nayara Energy, in which Rosneft owns a 49% stake. Kazakhstan's Kondensat plant sent about 10,000 tonnes of gasoline to Russia, with Kazakhstan agreeing to sell 50,000 tonnes in total "as humanitarian aid."
The Russian government imposed a ban on gasoline exports until January 31, 2027. Ukrainian attacks took out 30% of actual and 45% of nominal capacity at Russian refineries; by mid-July, plants with a combined capacity of more than 45 million tonnes of oil per year had not resumed fuel sales on the exchange.