Russia plans sweeping gasoline export ban to stabilize domestic market, sources tell Reuters
Russia is preparing to implement a more stringent gasoline export ban in the coming days, three industry sources familiar with the plans told Reuters on July 24. This measure is expected to include fuel producers, as the government seeks to combat rising domestic prices.
Currently, export restrictions apply only to a small segment of gasoline sales by resellers, with major oil companies still permitted to sell fuel abroad. The impending changes would broaden these limitations significantly.
"It's all been decided (with the ban). For now, it's for August and September," one of the industry sources told Reuters. Another source suggested the official announcement of the ban could come as early as July 28.
The planned restrictions will not affect supplies to the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union, a bloc comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia itself. Additionally, countries like Mongolia, with which Russia maintains intergovernmental agreements on fuel supplies, will also be exempt from the ban, according to the sources.
The Russian government has resorted to temporary gasoline export bans multiple times over the past two years, typically to address domestic fuel shortages and alleviate high prices. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak had indicated earlier this month that the government was actively studying the fuel market to determine if further restrictions were necessary.
Wholesale gasoline prices on the St. Petersburg commodities exchange have seen a consistent upward trend since the beginning of last week. The price of the widely used Ai-95 grade recently hit an all-time high, reaching 76,293 roubles (approximately $962.69) per metric ton.
Russia boasts an annual gasoline production exceeding 40 million metric tons. Its primary importers of refined fuel are Egypt and Turkey. According to the industry sources, Russia significantly increased its gasoline exports during the first five months of 2025, with volumes rising by approximately 25% year-on-year to about 2.51 million tons.
