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Russia Extends Fuel Rules, Keeps Export Bans Amid Drone Strikes

6/15/2026

30 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Russia Extends Rules

Russia extended relaxed fuel quality rules and kept bans on gasoline, diesel and jet fuel exports to curb shortages.
The rules allow gasoline up to 150 mg/kg sulfur and diesel up to 350 mg/kg, exceeding Euro-5 limits.
Ukrainian drones hit 38 Russian refineries Jan-May 2026, with 16 attacks in May, the highest monthly total.
Diesel output fell 10 % in May after a comparable April decline.
Secondary-processing capacity dropped 1.2-1.3 million bpd.

Summary

Russia curbs fuel

Residents of Khabarovsk Krai said only AI-92 gasoline was available and queues disappeared within 20 minutes.
Analysts warned speculators were reselling gasoline at double price, prompting Crimea to cancel 80 % of hotel bookings in late May-early June.
Officials proposed escorts for fuel trucks and strikes on Ukrainian bridges, prompting Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to say corrective measures were under way.

History

Historical Context

In October 1973 OAPEC, led by Saudi Arabia, cut production and imposed an oil embargo on the United States and other Israel-supporting nations, driving crude from $3 to about $12 per barrel—a roughly 300 % jump. The shock forced Western economies to curb demand and reshaped energy policy, a pattern echoed in 2026 when Russia’s fuel export bans sparked fresh price spikes and supply anxiety.

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Russia Extends Rules

Russia extended relaxed fuel quality rules and kept bans on gasoline, diesel and jet fuel exports to curb shortages.
The rules allow gasoline up to 150 mg/kg sulfur and diesel up to 350 mg/kg, exceeding Euro-5 limits.
Ukrainian drones hit 38 Russian refineries Jan-May 2026, with 16 attacks in May, the highest monthly total.
Diesel output fell 10 % in May after a comparable April decline.
Secondary-processing capacity dropped 1.2-1.3 million bpd.

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