Russia has reportedly turned to India for gasoline supplies as it seeks to address a growing domestic fuel shortage linked to Ukrainian attacks on its energy infrastructure. According to Reuters, citing two industry officials familiar with the matter, India has dispatched a shipment of gasoline to Russia to help ease the supply crunch.
The shortage has been publicly acknowledged by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said that fuel supply problems continue to affect both consumers and businesses. Speaking on the issue, Putin said that queues remain at petrol stations and that obtaining the required grade of gasoline is still proving difficult in several areas.
The fuel supply disruptions have been reported across Russia’s 11 time zones, with some regions experiencing fuel rationing amid a record rise in gasoline prices.
Ukraine highlights Russia’s fuel supply challenges
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also referred to the shortages in a statement posted on Telegram, saying the situation demonstrated the impact of the ongoing war on Russia’s domestic infrastructure.
According to Reuters, Zelensky said Russians themselves could see that the conflict had reached a stage where the country, once known for its abundant energy resources, was experiencing gasoline shortages.
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Reuters, citing industry sources, reported that India has shipped approximately 60,000 metric tons of gasoline to Russia. People familiar with the matter told the news agency that two tankers carrying between 30,000 and 40,000 metric tons each have been dispatched as part of the supply arrangement.
The report further said the Kremlin intends to import around 400,000 metric tons of gasoline every month from multiple countries to stabilise domestic supplies. Belarus is already among the countries exporting fuel to Russia, according to the sources. Neither Russia’s energy ministry nor India’s oil ministry had issued an official statement on the reported shipments at the time of publication.
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India-Russia energy trade remains significant
India and Russia have maintained extensive trade in crude oil and petroleum products for several years. Bilateral energy ties drew international attention after US President Donald Trump announced an additional 25 per cent tariff on India over its purchases of Russian oil, accusing New Delhi of supporting Russia’s war effort.
However, amid disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz caused by regional tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, India resumed oil trade with Russia.
