Russia has reportedly requested Kazakhstan’s assistance in supplying petrol, as Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries have necessitated gasoline imports.
Reuters has indicated that Kazakhstan is being asked to prepare a reserve of 100,000 tonnes of gasoline, which equates to about 845,000 barrels, for potential supply to Russia in case of a shortage.
The status of any agreement on this matter remains uncertain. Additionally, the Kremlin is exploring options to obtain supplies from Belarus.
Typically a gasoline exporter, Russia now finds itself importing fuel to satisfy domestic demand due to substantial damage to its refining capabilities caused by Ukrainian drone strikes.
These drone attacks have targeted Russian refineries at least 12 times, with March witnessing five such incidents. These attacks have extended deep into Russian territory.
In response to a stalemate on the battlefield, Ukraine has shifted its strategy to target Russian infrastructure, impacting Russia’s wartime economy.
The UK Ministry of Defence reports that over 10% of Russia’s refining capacity has been disrupted by these strikes.
Recently, a major Russian refinery near the Kazakhstan border had to cease operations due to severe flooding.
Russia implemented a six-month ban on gasoline exports last month, aiming to stabilize prices and facilitate repairs to refinery facilities. This follows a similar ban from September to November. Exemptions are made for neighbouring ex-Soviet states.
In the previous year, Russia exported 5.8 million tonnes of gasoline, which is around 13% of its total production. This situation has led to regional shortages and rising gasoline prices in Russia.
The Russian government maintains that these attacks have not severely affected the Russian economy, as it compensates by increasing oil exports that cannot be processed into petrol.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan has had its petrol export ban in place for nearly two years, citing the need to maintain a balance between supply and demand.
