Russia Extends Lower Fuel Standards and Bans Exports of Gasoline, Diesel, and Jet Fuel

Russia’s government has authorized some refineries to produce gasoline and diesel with higher sulfur content and other lower environmental specifications. The eased rules, first introduced in the autumn of 2025, were extended according to an unnamed source who spoke to Kommersant. The daily reported the authorization on Monday.

Russia’s authorities are also banning exports of refined petroleum products. Gasoline exports are banned for all market participants. Traders are banned from exporting diesel until July 31. Russia announced on June 1 that it is temporarily banning jet fuel exports until the end of November.

The ban runs through November 30, 2026. Supplies under intergovernmental agreements are exempted from the jet fuel export ban, the Russian government has said. Russia’s crude oil production has declined since the beginning of the year.

Alexander Novak stated that a number of local refineries are under unscheduled repairs and maintenance. The deputy prime minister made the remarks in the first public acknowledgement from Moscow that output is falling. Several Russian regions have been experiencing fuel shortages as Ukraine hits Russian oil refineries.

Ukraine has stepped up attacks this month on key fuel supply routes in its territories occupied by Russia, including Crimea and Mariupol. Officials are playing down the fuel crisis. Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the northwestern Leningrad region, said last week that “Supplies are being delivered according to plan, there are no shortages,” as carried by Bloomberg.

Some isolated complaints about fuel shortages “do not reflect the overall situation,” the regional official said.