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AI-92 Gasoline

Kyrgyzstan Seeks to Boost AI-92 Gasoline Production as Fuel Supply Pressures Persist

Kyrgyzstan is seeking to increase domestic production of AI-92 gasoline by upgrading surplus low-octane AI-80 fuel. The country continues to face rising fuel prices and supply uncertainty because it relies heavily on imports from Russia. Kyrgyz Petroleum Company (KPC) has issued a tender for chemical additives needed to produce AI-92 gasoline from AI-80 fuel. The company operates an oil refinery in Manas, formerly Jalal-Abad, in southern Kyrgyzstan. The facility can process 500,000 tons of crude oil annually. The refinery mainly produces AI-80 gasoline. Domestic demand for this grade has virtually disappeared, leaving significant stockpiles. Earlier this year, the government authorized exports of domestically produced AI-80 gasoline and diesel fuel to Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The move comes as Kyrgyzstan faces growing pressure from disruptions in the Russian fuel market. Russia supplies more than 90% of Kyrgyzstan’s imported petroleum products. It has imposed temporary restrictions on gasoline exports after Ukrainian drone attacks on oil-processing facilities reduced refinery output. Kyrgyzstan imports approximately 1.2 million tons of petroleum products annually. Domestic refineries currently satisfy only about 5% of national demand, while total annual fuel consumption is estimated at 1.6 million tons. KPC’s refinery is undergoing a $410 million modernization project designed to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel. SPEC Engineering, based in the United States, is carrying out the work. External investors are providing $200 million, and Kyrgyzstan’s government is contributing $110 million. Kyrgyzneftegaz, KPC’s parent company, is providing the remaining $100 million. When the project is completed at the end of 2027, the refinery is expected to begin producing AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline that meets K-4 and K-5 Eurasian Economic Union environmental standards. At the launch of the project in September 2024, President Sadyr Japarov said the refinery met only 6.5% of Kyrgyzstan’s demand for high-quality gasoline and diesel fuel. He said its share would rise to 32% after the upgrade. The Manas refinery is one of Kyrgyzstan’s two largest refining facilities. The other is the Junda refinery in Kara-Balta, also known as the Zhongda refinery. It is being upgraded, with completion scheduled for August 2026. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan has recently eased its temporary fuel price controls in an effort to stabilize supplies. The government introduced emergency regulation of fuel prices on May 25. Benchmark import prices were set at $860 per ton for AI-92 gasoline and $940 per ton for AI-95 gasoline. The benchmarks for diesel fuel and liquefied petroleum gas were $950 and $575 per ton, respectively. However, a resolution signed on July 7 by Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev removed AI-95 gasoline from the list of socially significant goods subject to state price regulation. It also abolished the caps on retail fuel prices set earlier. The government said the changes were intended to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies after AI-95 temporarily disappeared from filling stations in Bishkek.

fuel shortages

Tajikistan Offers Farmers Subsidized Diesel as Fuel Shortages Deepen

Tajikistan’s Ministry of Agriculture says farmers will be able to purchase diesel at a subsidized price of approximately $1.20 per liter through the Agency for State Material Reserves as fuel shortages intensify across the country. Speaking at a press conference on July 9, First Deputy Agriculture Minister Nurali Asozoda acknowledged that fuel supplies remained under pressure throughout the region. Tajikistan imports most of its petroleum products and liquefied gas from Russia, leaving it vulnerable to disruptions in the Russian fuel market. According to Asozoda, the agency is selling diesel to agricultural producers for about $1.20 per liter, while AI-92 gasoline is available for approximately $0.99 per liter. Commercial filling stations are charging considerably more. Diesel prices have risen to around $1.40-1.66 per liter, while some stations have reported shortages. Asozoda added that the lower prices apply only to fuel distributed through the agency. He said reserve stocks were available in several regions and that agricultural producers could apply to buy fuel. In some cases, farms may also receive diesel on deferred-payment terms to allow them to complete the harvest. Deputy Agriculture Minister Bahrom Ahmadzada said the ministry had submitted proposals to the government in May to support farmers affected by the shortage. One proposal would establish dedicated fuel distribution points operated by the agency in rural districts. The initiative is currently under government review. Authorities are also seeking to diversify Tajikistan’s fuel imports. According to Ahmadzoda, negotiations are underway with Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Saudi Arabia. He said an agreement had already been reached to import 10,000 tons of fuel from Iraq, while discussions with Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia were also progressing. The ministry said it was monitoring the fuel situation daily in coordination with the agency and other government bodies. The shortage became more visible in early July, when several filling stations in Dushanbe ran out of diesel. Others limited sales to 20 liters per vehicle. The supply squeeze is particularly serious for agriculture. Farmers rely on diesel to harvest crops, transport produce, and prepare fields for the next planting season. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, fuel shortages are spreading across Central Asia. The pressure has affected gasoline and diesel supplies, along with jet fuel, natural gas, coal, and electricity planning. Seasonal fuel pressure is common, but this year’s shortages have appeared unusually early. They are closely linked to disruptions in Russia, the main fuel supplier for much of the region.

fuel imports

Fuel Squeeze Leaves Kyrgyzstan Competing for Costly Alternatives

Kyrgyzstan is moving to secure alternative fuel supplies from China and Belarus as disruptions in Russia’s refining sector expose Bishkek’s dependence on a single supplier. The new arrangements may ease immediate pressure, but they also show how costly and limited Kyrgyzstan’s options remain. First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Daniyar Amangeldiyev said China has confirmed a contract to supply the first 3,000 tons of jet fuel, while negotiations are under way for an additional 5,000 tons of diesel fuel. The government has also signed agreements with Belarus covering 3,000 tons of jet fuel and approximately 10,000 tons of diesel. On July 1, the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) extended the zero customs duty regime within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) for gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, marine fuel, and other petroleum products for another year. EEC Minister of Trade Andrey Slepnev said the previous zero rates had expired on June 30 and that proposals from several member states to extend them were quickly coordinated. “The zero rates have been extended for another year,” he said. That buys time but does not remove the main risk. Russian refining disruptions, seasonal demand, and export controls could still reduce the flow of petroleum products to Kyrgyzstan. Imports from alternative suppliers are also likely to come at higher prices and on less favorable terms than those traditionally offered by Moscow. Russia has been Kyrgyzstan’s primary fuel supplier for decades. The country began receiving Russian petroleum products at preferential prices on October 10, 2000, when the prime ministers of Russia and Kyrgyzstan, Mikhail Kasyanov and Amangeldy Muraliev, signed an intergovernmental agreement in Astana governing indirect taxation in bilateral trade. Since then, Kyrgyzstan has received basic petroleum products duty-free at domestic Russian prices. In 2011, then-adviser to the Kyrgyz prime minister Farid Niyazov told the news outlet 24.kg that Russia would supply all petroleum products to Kyrgyzstan indefinitely without export duties, except aviation fuel. “At present, Russia’s export duty on these fuel products is $245 per ton. You can imagine how much we would otherwise have to pay for fuel,” he said. The 2000 bilateral agreement was terminated in 2015 after Kyrgyzstan joined the EAEU. Since then, the country has operated under the union’s common customs rules as well as bilateral agreements with Russia. This has left Kyrgyzstan heavily dependent on a single supplier. According to official statements and industry estimates, more than 90% of the country’s fuel consumption for households and agriculture is currently covered by Russian imports. Despite Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak’s assurances that domestic fuel reserves remain sufficient, shortages began to emerge in Russia in early June. Russia has since moved to tighten exports further as refinery disruptions have continued. As a result, Kyrgyzstan’s Cabinet of Ministers has begun searching for alternative suppliers while introducing daily monitoring of existing fuel deliveries. Rising gasoline and diesel prices had already prompted the government to introduce temporary state regulation of motor fuel prices in late May. It has since rolled...

Fuel Supply

Kyrgyzstan Eases State Fuel Price Controls as Supply Shortages Persist

Kyrgyzstan has partially rolled back its temporary state regulation of motor fuel prices, removing AI-95 gasoline from price controls and abandoning plans to impose maximum retail fuel prices in an effort to stabilize supplies. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the Kyrgyz government introduced temporary state regulation of fuel prices on May 25 amid continued increases in gasoline and diesel prices, driven largely by the country’s dependence on imports from Russia. The government had approved subsidies for imports of gasoline, diesel fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas through September 30, 2026, while setting benchmark import prices at $860 per ton for AI-92 gasoline, $940 per ton for AI-95 gasoline, $950 per ton for diesel fuel, and $575 per ton for liquefied petroleum gas. Under a new resolution signed on July 7 by Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev, AI-95 gasoline has been removed from the list of socially significant goods subject to temporary state price regulation. The decision effectively cancels the state price controls introduced just two weeks earlier. It follows reports that AI-95 gasoline had disappeared from several filling stations in Bishkek. The July 7 resolution also abolishes the maximum allowable retail fuel prices established under the May 25 decree. According to the government, the changes are intended to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies to consumers. The policy adjustment comes as Russia continues to tighten fuel exports. In recent weeks, several Russian regions have imposed restrictions on gasoline sales following reduced refinery output caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on oil-processing facilities. Moscow has already restricted gasoline exports and imposed a temporary ban on jet fuel exports. Kyrgyzstan remains heavily dependent on imported fuel. The country imports approximately 1.2 million tons of petroleum products annually, while domestic refineries meet only about 5% of national demand. Total annual fuel consumption is estimated at 1.6 million tons, with more than 90% supplied by Russia. First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar Amangeldiyev told the 24.kg news agency that the government is actively diversifying fuel imports through negotiations with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, European suppliers, Türkiye, China, Russia, Belarus, and Azerbaijan. According to Amangeldiyev, China has confirmed a contract to supply the first 3,000 tons of jet fuel to Kyrgyzstan, while negotiations are underway for an additional 5,000 tons of diesel fuel. The Kyrgyz government has also signed agreements with Belarus covering 3,000 tons of jet fuel and approximately 10,000 tons of diesel fuel. The reversal shows how quickly price controls can collide with supply constraints in a market still heavily dependent on Russian fuel.

Fuel Supply

Kyrgyzstan Looks Beyond Russia as Fuel Squeeze Hits Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan has asked Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to help secure its fuel supplies as shortages inside Russia put new strain on Central Asia's fuel market. The move follows reduced Russian refining capacity after Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries, seasonal demand, and tighter export controls. “Due to the lack of adequate oil and gas production, we remain a country dependent on imports,” Deputy Energy Minister Nasipbek Kerimov told Birinchi Radio. “Kyrgyzstan annually consumes approximately 2 million tons of various types of fuel and lubricants, and almost 95% of this volume comes from Russia.” The dependence rests on long-standing trade terms; Russia supplies oil products to Kyrgyzstan duty-free under annual indicative balances within the Eurasian Economic Union. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk said in October 2025 that balances for 2026 had already been signed. The system has helped hold down prices, but it also leaves the market exposed when Russian refineries or export rules change. Kyrgyz officials have tried to calm consumers. The Energy Ministry said fuel reserves were sufficient, supplies were moving under existing contracts, and that “official requests have been sent” to relevant governments to support stable supplies. Local officials also pressed Kyrgyzneftegaz and the Junda refinery to increase domestic production and deliveries. The pressure is not equal across all fuel types. AI-95 and AI-98 gasoline have disappeared from some filling stations, while AI-92 reserves remain stronger. Oil Traders Association head Kanatbek Eshatov told Kaktus.media that AI-92 stocks would last 30 to 45 days, depending on the company. He said the AI-95 problem could be solved “in a couple of weeks, if refineries recover after the shelling.” Diesel remains available, and farmers had stocked up before harvest work began, he added. As of July 6, AI-95 remained unavailable at some Bishkek filling stations. Bishkek has also moved on prices, with the Cabinet introducing temporary price regulation under Resolution No. 369 of May 25, 2026. The system subsidizes importers and sellers until September 30 by compensating the gap between market prices and fixed benchmark import prices. In Bishkek, capped pump prices are 79.9 soms per liter for AI-92 gasoline, 88.9 soms for AI-95 and 93.9 soms for diesel, equal to about $3.46, $3.85 and $4.06 per U.S. gallon. The state is using subsidies to prevent a sharper jump at the pump. Kerimov said prices would stay unchanged while talks continued with suppliers. “We are currently offered fuel at various prices,” he said, and even if purchase prices rise, “there should be no shortage on the domestic market.” President Vladimir Putin acknowledged on June 28 that fuel shortages inside Russia had created queues at filling stations. “Problems for drivers and for businesses persist,” he said, adding that “the harvest depends on” keeping seasonal fuel schedules for farms. Russian officials said gasoline reserves stood at 1.7 million metric tons, but Moscow was considering a complete ban on diesel exports. Russia had already imposed temporary restrictions on gasoline exports, with exemptions for some intergovernmental arrangements. Reuters reported on June...

Fuel Supply

Kyrgyzstan Seeks Alternative Fuel Suppliers as Russian Export Restrictions Hit

Russia’s restrictions on fuel exports are expected to put pressure on Kyrgyzstan, which remains heavily dependent on Russian petroleum supplies, First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar Amangeldiev has said. Amangeldiev told 24.kg that the government had already moved to extend the existing duty-free fuel import mechanism in order to help stabilize the domestic market. “This issue has already been agreed within the ‘group of five’,” he said, referring to the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union. He said the fuel market remained stable for now and assured the public that the government was taking steps to prevent shortages of gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel. The comments followed an emergency meeting chaired by Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev on fuel supply security, during which officials reviewed stock levels and import flows. Government officials said geopolitical tensions and disruptions to logistics were continuing to affect fuel markets and add pressure on prices. Authorities are also accelerating efforts to diversify fuel imports. Participants in the meeting said new supply channels were already being negotiated, with some concrete agreements reached. Kasymaliev ordered daily monitoring of fuel supplies and weekly coordination meetings to ensure a rapid response to emerging risks. On July 1, Kyrgyzstan’s Energy Ministry said it had launched talks with several countries to expand fuel imports and reduce dependence on a single supplier. Official requests have been sent to authorities in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan as Bishkek seeks to secure additional supplies. The ministry said Kyrgyzstan imports the vast majority of its fuel and remains vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices, geopolitical instability in the Middle East, and disruptions to international logistics. Officials added that domestic fuel reserves are currently sufficient and that deliveries under previously signed contracts are continuing. The Energy Ministry said it is conducting daily monitoring together with the anti-monopoly regulator and holding consultations with fuel traders on logistics, pricing and stockpiling. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the impact of Russia’s fuel restrictions is already being felt across the region. Kyrgyzstan has recently reported supply disruptions involving premium AI-95 and AI-98 gasoline. Kanatbek Eshatov, head of the country’s Association of Oil Traders, said some filling stations had experienced interruptions because of reduced and irregular Russian deliveries, combined with seasonal demand. Kyrgyzstan receives more than 90% of its gasoline imports from Russia. Between January and May 2026, Russia supplied more than 251,000 tons of gasoline, 235,150 tons of diesel fuel, and 48,150 tons of jet fuel to Kyrgyzstan, according to industry estimates.