Russia faces gasoline shortage — report
Diesel fuel prices for Russian consumers have sharply increased, rising nearly 10% just in the past week. Gasoline prices have also surged by more than 20% since the beginning of the year, according to the report.
The decreased fuel supply has forced an increasing number of Russian enterprises to halt production. Politico notes that Moscow has cut its fuel exports to near historical lows — last week, exports amounted to 712,000 tons, while in the same week in 2023, Russia exported 844,000 tons of petroleum fuel.
Igor Yushkov, an analyst at Russia's National Energy Security Fund, stated that prices are unlikely to drop anytime soon, and that Russia will probably have to start importing gasoline from neighboring Belarus.
Last year, Russia had to ban the export of gasoline and diesel fuel due to a domestic market shortfall to reassure motorists and stimulate the agricultural sector.