Russia Receives First Gasoline Cargo From India as Fuel Shortages Spread

First Indian Gasoline Shipment Arrives

Russia has received its first gasoline cargo from India, according to a report from Reuters cited by Crude Oil Prices Today. The approximately 68,000-metric-ton cargo was produced by Nayara Energy at its Vadinar refinery in western India and delivered to Russia’s Arctic port of Vitino after a ship-to-ship transfer at Port Said, Egypt. Reuters reported that two more gasoline cargoes from India are expected to reach Russia in the coming weeks.

Nayara’s Vadinar refinery is a major buyer of Russian crude, Reuters noted, though it could not establish whether Russian oil was used to make the gasoline delivered to Vitino.

Spreading Fuel Shortages

Fuel shortages have spread across Russia, with filling stations in at least 10 regions imposing sales restrictions or running short of some grades of fuel, including the Moscow region. Gasoline sales on the St. Petersburg exchange have fallen by an average of about 20% since early August, as reported by both Crude Oil Prices Today and Türkiye Today. Russia has also brought back purchase limits in Moscow and banned gasoline exports until the end of January 2027, according to Türkiye Today.

Russia, historically one of the world’s largest motor fuel exporters, began importing gasoline by sea in July as Ukrainian strikes hit its energy infrastructure. The country was already using imports from Belarus, and Türkiye Today added that Russia is also importing fuel from neighboring Kazakhstan.

The disruptions have been attributed to Ukrainian attacks on refineries. The 120,000-barrel-per-day Orsk refinery could remain offline for as long as six months after an August 11 Ukrainian attack, tightening fuel supplies across the Urals region, according to Reuters. Russian refineries have been struck 17 times so far in August, matching the total recorded in July, Türkiye Today reported.

Seaborne Imports and New Routes

Türkiye Today reported that Russia is slated to receive its fifth confirmed seaborne gasoline delivery since late July and its first from Türkiye. The Medium Range tanker Wendrix, loaded with 200,000 barrels of gasoline at the port of Mersin, is expected to reach Russia next week, according to S&P Global Commodities. The exact discharge port is not known, but the vessel was sailing through the Baltic Sea off Latvia late on Aug. 21 after passing Kaliningrad, home to one of Russia’s four Baltic Sea ports.

Türkiye Today reported, citing Kpler ship-tracking data, that Russia has received three vessels loaded at India’s Vadinar terminal through ship-to-ship transfers near Egypt over the past month, while a separate cargo arrived from Morocco at the end of July. The three shipments from India carried 356,000, 325,000 and 325,000 barrels, while the Moroccan cargo carried 300,000 barrels. Overall, Russian seaborne gasoline imports have exceeded 1 million barrels since the end of July.

Türkiye exported 6.6 million tons of petroleum products in January–June 2026, with the United States as the largest destination at 1.5 million tons, according to official data. Russia received 140,996 tons from Türkiye, including 118,085 tons of aviation fuel, 22,836 tons of marine fuel and 76 tons of other products.

Market Impact and Ukrainian Attacks

Russian crude runs averaged 3.7 million barrels per day in July, down 28% from the 2025 average, according to S&P Global Energy CERA analysts. The country’s seaborne petroleum-product exports fell 33.3% in July from June and 54.7% from July 2025, according to Reuters calculations based on LSEG data.

Ukrainian attacks continue to affect Russian regions. At least six people were killed and four wounded when Ukrainian rockets struck the village of Belgorod, as reported by Reuters. The Russian Defense Ministry also said 205 Ukrainian drones were intercepted over Russian territory and occupied Crimea overnight.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Nod said, “A second phase of market tension is indeed currently unfolding,” as quoted by Türkiye Today.

Perspectives

Russian Deputy Prime Minister

Alexander Novak, speaking on the fuel market situation, said that “a second phase of market tension is indeed currently unfolding,” indicating official acknowledgment of ongoing supply difficulties.