Russia set to extend diesel export ban after Ukrainian drone strikes hit refineries

Russia plans to extend its diesel export ban through the end of September, and possibly through year's end, as domestic fuel shortages persist and refineries remain offline after repeated Ukrainian drone strikes, Reuters reported citing industry sources. The ban began in July and was previously extended through Aug. 31, alongside separate restrictions on gasoline and jet fuel exports running into 2026.

Recent strikes hit the Novoshakhtinsk refinery in Rostov Oblast and the Afipsky refinery in Krasnodar Krai, the latter with a design capacity of 6.25 million metric tons of crude annually. Russian refining volumes fell to 3.6 million barrels per day in July, the lowest since May 2002, and Russian media reported the industry could set another record low in August.

Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak maintained there is no domestic diesel shortage even as the government weighs extending the export ban meant to address exactly that. The fuel troubles have coincided with Vladimir Putin's approval rating dropping five percentage points to 66%, its lowest since fall 2022.

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