Gasoline production in Russia for the three weeks of March fell by 10% to 754.6 thousand tons, according to official Rosstat numbers. Diesel fuel production for the same period sank by 3.9%, to 1.648 million tons.

Putinistan suspended gasoline exports from March 1 until August 31, 2024, to ensure supply for the domestic market in peak demand season, while several refineries are undergoing regular maintenance and urgent repairs after Ukrainian drone strikes. This is a second such export ban in just a few months. In the autumn of 2023, the Kremlin banned exports of diesel and gasoline in an effort to stabilize domestic fuel prices in the face of soaring prices and shortages as crude oil rallied and the ruble weakened.

Due to the threat of a shortage of oil products, the ruZZia turned to Belarus for help. On March 28, the head of the Energy Committee of the State Duma Pavel Zavalny said that an agreement had been reached on the purchase of 100-150.000 tons of Belarusian gasoline per month.

According to Reuters estimates, the amount of oil refining capacity that has been taken offline due to Ukrainian drone strikes is 14% of ruZZia’s total refining capacity. Calculations show that 900.000 barrels per day of refining capacity have been taken offline by drone strikes, Reuters reported last month.

At the end of last month, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that the government doesn’t plan to ban diesel exports again as "there is no need for it". TASS quoted him saying that Russia produces twice the volume of diesel than domestic consumption.

“If we ban exports, we won’t have anywhere to put the diesel,” Novak boasted then, adding that the Russian fuel market is stable, both in supply and prices.

Well,...

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