MOSCOW: Russia has announced it will extend its ban on petrol exports until the end of 2025.
The decision comes as Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have driven domestic fuel prices to a record high.
The export ban, initially implemented in March, is designed to guarantee sufficient fuel supplies for the Russian domestic market.
Ukrainian forces have been systematically targeting Russian refining infrastructure for several months.
Kyiv justifies these attacks as legitimate retaliation for Russian missile barrages and a strategy to reduce the energy revenues financing Moscow’s military operations.
“We will extend the ban on petrol exports until the end of the year in the near future,“ state news agency TASS quoted Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak as saying.
The government will also introduce a ban on exporting diesel fuel for retailers and traders, he added.
A series of successful Ukrainian strikes during the summer significantly damaged processing capacity at multiple key refineries.
This damage has resulted in higher fuel prices and caused shortages in several Russian regions.
The Moscow-installed administration in annexed Crimea confirmed it is experiencing fuel shortages.
These shortages are a direct result of “a reduction of production volumes at Russian refineries,“ the local administration stated on Thursday.
The announcement follows a major Ukrainian attack on a large oil refinery in Russia’s central Bashkortostan region on Wednesday.
That strike caused a significant fire, further highlighting the vulnerability of Russia’s energy infrastructure. – AFP
