Ban on Gasoline Exports from Russia Extended Until Year-End
The government intends to extend the ban on gasoline exports, including for producers, until the end of the year. Restrictions on diesel fuel exports may be lifted earlier as the market recovers. Currently, exports could exacerbate fuel shortages in the domestic market; however, experts believe that the ban on overseas sales does not address the delivery issues of fuel to remote regions of Russia.
The ban on gasoline exports from Russia will be extended until the end of the year, including for refineries, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak on July 25. He noted that restrictions on diesel fuel exports are planned to be lifted "as the market recovers." According to Novak, the possibility of diesel fuel exports is crucial for ensuring full refinery capacity utilization and preventing oversupply. At present, the ban on gasoline and diesel fuel exports is in place until July 31. The restrictions do not apply to fuel supplied under intergovernmental agreements.
A complete ban on gasoline exports was introduced in Russia on August 31, 2025, due to a sharp increase in wholesale and retail fuel prices. At the end of January, the government lifted the embargo for refineries to avoid capacity buildup, while other market participants continued to face restrictions until July 31. The ban was reimposed on refineries starting April 1. The export of diesel fuel for manufacturers has been prohibited since July 8.
According to Kpler, Russia’s oil refining volume dropped to 4.1 million barrels per day in June due to attacks on refineries, marking the lowest level in recent years. As highlighted by Alexander Novak on July 21, the measures taken, including the ban on petroleum product exports, market saturation through imports, and rescheduling of plant repairs, have led to partial market stabilization and lifted sales restrictions in certain regions. However, a source for “Ъ” noted that gasoline stocks in Russia might have decreased to less than 1.5 million tons. According to the Ministry of Energy, as cited by President Vladimir Putin at the end of June, gasoline stocks year-on-year fell by 4% to 1.7 million tons.
Sergey Tereshkin, the CEO of Open Oil Market, states that the extension of the gasoline export ban was quite anticipated due to the risks of fuel market shortages.
"The ban is already seen as the norm, as such restrictions were frequently imposed even before 2026," he adds. The analyst notes that in previous years, exports accounted for only 10–15% of gasoline production, while for diesel fuel, this share reached up to 50%. Therefore, the ban on diesel fuel exports is much more critical for oil producers than the ban on gasoline exports. It is clear that by the end of July, neither production nor logistics had recovered sufficiently to lift the restrictions, emphasizes Dmitry Prokofyev, Director of External Communications at NEFT Research. According to him, as long as production does not recover, any gasoline export would exacerbate the domestic shortage.
Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, stated on July 22 to “Prime”:
"Regardless, the situation in the fuel market still requires special attention."
According to Sergey Tereshkin, the diesel export ban may be lifted in the fourth quarter after the completion of agricultural work. However, the dynamics of unplanned repairs at refineries will play a decisive role, the expert emphasizes. Market participants predict that diesel fuel exports from Russia will remain suspended until the end of the year, as noted in an S&P Global report.
As Dmitry Prokofyev points out, the extension of the ban until the end of the year means that the gasoline market will remain under administrative regulation at least until 2027.
The export alternative for producers is disabled, and prices in the domestic market will be determined not by global quotes but by internal decisions, he explains. The expert adds that the extension of the ban does not resolve the logistical issues—it merely ensures that the fuel produced does not leave the country, but it does not guarantee its delivery to remote regions. It has been noted in meeting minutes with Alexander Novak (available to “Ъ”) that the tense situation persists predominantly in Siberia and the Far East.
Source: Kommersant
