Following the attacks on oil refineries, Russia began importing gasoline from Morocco
Russia received its first shipment of AI-92 gasoline from Morocco, totaling about 30,000 metric tons. The delivery marked another step by Moscow to address the fuel shortage following Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries.
According to the agency, a Panamanian-flagged tanker loaded the gasoline at the Moroccan port of Tangier in mid-July.
The vessel is currently being unloaded at the Arctic port of Murmansk. According to sources who spoke with Reuters, Lukoil was the fuel supplier.
After Russia’s own fuel production was reduced due to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries, Morocco became the third country from which Russia began importing gasoline.
India and Kazakhstan had previously begun supplying gasoline.
In late July, the first tanker carrying 42,000 metric tons of gasoline purchased from the Vadinar refinery in India arrived at the port of Vitino in the Murmansk region.
In addition, another tanker, the Varg, carrying gasoline for Russia, is heading toward the Suez Canal, where the fuel is scheduled to be transshipped to another vessel for onward delivery to Russian ports.
According to Reuters, the Kazakhstani “Kondensat” refinery has already shipped about 10,000 metric tons of gasoline to Russia.
In total, India is expected to supply about 100,000 metric tons of gasoline, and Kazakhstan about 50,000 metric tons.
According to the agency, these shipments are being made as part of humanitarian aid.
The gasoline imports indicate Russia’s attempts to offset losses in its own fuel production, which has fallen to its lowest level in the past two decades following a series of strikes on its oil refining infrastructure.
Reuters reported this, citing industry sources.
In Volgograd, following a large-scale attack that damaged the Lukoil oil refinery and a Wildberries warehouse, local residents reported on July 31 that lines had returned to gas stations.
As a reminder, on the night of July 29, the Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out strikes on a number of military and infrastructure targets on Russian territory and in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Among the targets hit were the Ryazan oil refinery, a base for Russian Black Sea Fleet vessels, a radar station, and military logistics facilities.
SBU drones struck the Lukoil oil refinery in Perm, more than 1,500 km from Ukraine.
On July 29, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced new results of strikes on Russian facilities used to support and prolong the war against Ukraine.
