Russia lifts ban on gasoline exports for oil product manufacturers

The Russian government has lifted restrictions on gasoline exports for oil product manufacturers.

The Moscow Times stated this in an article, according to Ukrinform.

It is reported that the government removed the ban on gasoline exports for companies that directly produce oil products. At the same time, for all other market participants, the full ban on exporting gasoline, diesel, and other types of fuel has been extended until July 31, 2026.

The Russian government emphasized that this move will help maintain stability in the domestic fuel market. Allowing exports will also "prevent the risk of overstocking the production capacities of oil companies."

The full ban on gasoline exports had been in effect in Russia since August 31, 2025. It was introduced after Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries, which caused a sharp rise in wholesale and retail fuel prices domestically and led to shortages at gas stations.

Since the beginning of August 2025, over 20 refineries were damaged, some partially or completely taken offline. According to Bloomberg, in October 2025, Russia's oil refining volumes fell by nearly 10% compared to July, to 4.86 million barrels per day, reaching the lowest level in at least the past five years. Residents of at least 57 regions of the country and Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine faced gasoline shortages, and in some regions authorities introduced restrictions on fuel sales per customer.

As Ukrinform previously reported, average retail gasoline prices in Russia have already surpassed U.S. levels, and the gap is expected to widen in the coming years.