Russia plans to import petrol by sea due to the fuel crisis triggered by systematic attacks by Ukrainian drones on oil refineries, Reuters reported on 17 June, citing sources.
According to the agency’s sources, a consignment of petrol is expected to arrive at one of the country’s western ports in June. One source said the fuel would be supplied from Asia, though the source did not disclose any details regarding volumes or suppliers.
According to Reuters’ sources, Russia had already considered importing fuel by sea last year, but domestic supplies proved sufficient at the time. Moscow had previously also imported fuel from Belarus and Kazakhstan; however, as the agency’s sources note, these countries do not have sufficient reserves to support Russia in the event of a more serious supply crisis.
Various restrictions on fuel sales have been introduced in at least 53 regions of Russia and in the occupied territories of Ukraine, reports The Bell. At the end of May, petrol began to run out in occupied Crimea, and subsequently in the Belgorod and Kursk regions, as well as in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region. Later, fuel shortages emerged at petrol stations in Moscow, the Moscow and Leningrad regions, the Krasnodar Krai and Buryatia. One of the causes of these problems was the strikes on oil refineries in the European part of Russia, which are regularly carried out by Ukrainian drones.
Against the backdrop of falling supply, the authorities have already introduced a ban on petrol exports and restrictions on the export of a significant proportion of petroleum products.