Russia has for the first time in its history requested gasoline from Turkey, Kommersant reported, as the country's fuel shortage deepens and the AI-95 grade remains available at just 22% of filling stations as of August 24, according to the Infotek news outlet, citing data from the Benzovnawt service. In Moscow, the fuel is available at 161 of 786 stations, or 20%.
Asked by a journalist when gasoline would return to stations, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev replied: "Diesel is available everywhere at all filling stations!"
Kazakhstan has begun supplying small batches of fuel, and Moscow has previously purchased gasoline from India and Morocco. French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed imposing sanctions on gasoline supplies to Russia.
The fuel crisis has worsened after a new wave of Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries. Since the beginning of August, more than 10 industry facilities have been attacked, and at least five have halted operations. The Ukrainian Armed Forces again shelled the Afipsky refinery, one of the largest oil processing plants in southern Russia; the plant has now been attacked five times this year.
The Kremlin blamed businesses for insufficient efforts to ensure drone defense. Dmitry Peskov made the comment in response to a decree by President Vladimir Putin allowing private enterprises of critical infrastructure that are ineffectively protected from drone attacks to be transferred to temporary state management.
According to Rystad estimates, refining volumes are currently a third below the seasonal norm. Official restrictions on gasoline sales have been introduced by authorities in the Lipetsk, Kaluga, Orenburg, Leningrad and Samara regions, as well as the Zabaikalsky Krai. Industry sources cited by Kommersant say that in September oil companies will not be able to eliminate the deficit through their own production: in an optimistic scenario, fuel output will increase by 10-15%. Current import volumes will not close the gap, NEFT Research warned.