Amid growing fuel shortages, Russia will import gasoline from Turkey by sea for the first time. According to S&P Global Commodities at Sea, the Wendrix tanker will deliver about 200,000 barrels of gasoline to Russia next week. Thus, Turkey will become a new route for Russian fuel supplies. So far, imports have been carried out mainly from India, via Egypt and Morocco. In the past month, Russia's gasoline imports by sea have exceeded 1 million barrels.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continue to strike at Russia's energy infrastructure, as a result of which fuel production in the country has been significantly reduced. According to analysts at S&P Global Energy CERA, oil refining volumes fell by 28% in July, reaching 3.7 million barrels per day. In August, 17 attacks on Russian oil refineries were recorded, almost the same as in July.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced on August 19 that the second phase of tension in the fuel market had begun. In the current situation, Moscow has completely banned the export of gasoline until the end of January 2027.
Restrictions on the export of diesel fuel are in effect until the end of August, but the possibility of extending them is being discussed. According to Russian media, the government is also considering restricting the export of aromatic hydrocarbons. At the same time, it became known that the full restoration of the Orsk oil refinery in the Orenburg region will take about six months.
The Wendrix tanker is on the sanctions lists of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Switzerland. The Turkish port of Mersin is also on the Ukrainian sanctions list due to alleged ties to Russia.
