Starting April 1, the Russian government is imposing a temporary ban on gasoline exports. These restrictions will affect all market players, except for supplies under intergovernmental agreements, reports "Kommersant".
The main goal of this ban is to saturate the domestic market and control the rise in wholesale prices, which have increased by more than 12 percent in the last month.
Reasons for the introduction of the embargo:
According to data from the Price Index Center, at the beginning of the year, gasoline exports from Russia to Central Asian countries increased by 46 percent compared to December and by 100 percent year-on-year. However, in February, a 26 percent decrease in supplies to the domestic market was recorded, amounting to 2.5 million tons, which prompted the authorities to take stricter measures.
Experts from NEFT Research note that despite the introduction of the embargo, no significant decrease in prices is expected. The global situation, where the price of a ton of gasoline in Rotterdam has exceeded $1,000, will continue to exert pressure on the closed market. Nevertheless, on March 27, a decrease in exchange quotations was observed in Russia: gasoline Ai-95 fell by 0.72 percent, and summer diesel fuel by 0.84 percent.
Kyrgyzstan traditionally meets its needs for fuel and lubricants through imports from Russia. In September 2025, a similar ban was already imposed due to shortages in Russian regions. Now, before the start of spring fieldwork and the holiday season, a new decision has been made to prevent a repeat of last year's crisis. Ensuring stable supplies from Russia remains a key factor in curbing inflation, which faced pressure in 2025 due to logistical problems.
