8 July 2026
The Russian government is imposing a ban on diesel fuel exports, following the ban on gasoline and jet fuel, which have been banned from export abroad since June 1 and April 1, respectively. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced this at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.
The situation on the fuel market “remains difficult,” Novak stated: as a result of attacks on infrastructure, “a number of refineries were damaged,” leading to a temporary reduction in gasoline production, while demand for fuel increased by approximately a third.
“In July, we will also begin importing petroleum products and increasing additional production volumes by using petroleum products with lower environmental grades,” Novak listed (cited by Reuters). As Interfax reports , citing a government decree issued on July 8, the ban on diesel exports will remain in effect until July 31 and will also affect fuel producers.
Russia produces approximately 90 million tons of diesel fuel annually, exporting approximately 40%; domestic consumption is approximately 52 million tons, according to BCS analysts. Normally, the surplus of diesel significantly exceeds the surplus of gasoline, of which refineries produce almost as much as the economy consumes: approximately 44 million tons (with demand at 38 million tons).
However, following a series of raids on refineries that affected all of the top 10 largest plants, diesel fuel prices at gas stations are rapidly rising, following gasoline prices (up 11% since the beginning of the year), and farmers in the regions are complaining of diesel fuel shortages in the midst of the harvest season. Diesel fuel production has now fallen to roughly the level of domestic consumption—a 40% drop, industry sources told Reuters.
According to Energy Intelligence estimates, Russian oil refining volumes plummeted 25% year-on-year in June, to 3.91 million barrels per day, a more than 20-year low. An oil industry source told Kommersant that it will likely not be possible to increase the capacity of Russian refineries damaged by drone strikes in the coming month. He added that refining volumes will “at best” remain at June levels this month, and only if there are no further attacks on refineries.
A long-term ban on diesel exports threatens to reduce oil production, notes economist Kirill Rodionov: “Diesel is a higher-margin petroleum product than fuel oil, and more widely exported than motor gasoline. Therefore, the ban is unlikely to be as long-lasting as the one on gasoline, whose export ban has effectively become permanent,” Rodionov emphasizes.
I am waiting for the food shortages now, since what few farmers they have, will not have the diesel they need either. Then their army will freeze up too. I’m no general but I can’t see the enemy getting through this winter.