According to Reuters, Russia has asked Kazakhstan for 100,000 tons of gasoline, as Russian gasoline wholesalers hedge against possible fuel shortages due to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries. Reuters cited three people familiar with the matter.
“Sources say Moscow has asked Kazakhstan to stockpile an emergency reserve of 100,000 tonnes of petrol for deliveries to Russia. Arrangements have already been made to provide Kazakh petrol to Russia. Belarus is also ready to help the neighbouring country with fuel,” it reports.
However, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy, through energy minister Shyngys Ilyasov, has not confirmed this information.
Due to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries in early 2024, output of oil products in Russia fell by almost 14%. The drone strikes hit notable refineries such as Rosneft’s Ryazan and Novokuibyshevsk complexes and Tatneft’s Taneko refinery. The authorities claim that there is no fuel shortage on the Russian domestic market and that there is enough gasoline in stock. Nevertheless, Russia has introduced a temporary restriction on the export of fuel outside the country — except to countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
According to Reuters estimates, as of April 5, Russia’s AI-92 gasoline reserves amount to 307,700 tons, AI-95 reserves were 58,000 tons, and diesel reserves were 435,300 tons.
Meanwhile, since the beginning of this year, in Kazakhstan has stopped 171 cases of illegal export of oil products, as reported by the State Revenue Committee. Thousands of liters of Kazakhstan’s subsidized gasoline were intended to be exported outside the country. Most of the shadow-economy exports were found at the Kazakh-Russian border. Currently, Kazakhstan has a ban on the export of certain types of petroleum products.
