Russia is increasing fuel imports through third countries: the GUR revealed details

This was reported by the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Military Operations.

According to intelligence data, during July–September 2026, 17 tankers and their captains — citizens of Russia, China, and India — were identified, who delivered more than 562 thousand tons of gasoline and diesel fuel to the Russian Federation.

The main supply destinations are India, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt and South Korea. From there, after loading or transshipment, petroleum products are delivered to the Russian ports of Vitino, Murmansk, Vysotsk, St. Petersburg, Nakhodka and Vladivostok.

In July–August, the tankers SINO FAITH, AURORA, and TULU transported about 32, 30, and 37 thousand tons of gasoline from the Moroccan port of Tanger Med to Murmansk and Vysotsk, respectively. Another about 32 thousand tons were delivered to St. Petersburg by IVY PEARL, and 31 thousand tons by DERIN.

In early September, WENDRIX, which is under sanctions from a number of Western countries, brought over 29,000 tons of gasoline to Vysotsk from the Turkish port of Mersin.

Separately, Russia is increasing supplies of diesel fuel from South Korea.

In August, the tanker PEGAS delivered almost 22,000 tons of diesel from Ulsan to Nakhodka, after which the cargo was transported to Magadan and Vladivostok.

In July-August, the ARAM KHACHATURIAN delivered three batches of diesel fuel from Ulsan to Nakhodka with a total volume of over 35 thousand tons. In early August, the same vessel brought a trial batch of JET A-1 aviation fuel. The GUR suggests that it could have been used for testing and checking the possibility of certification according to Russian standards.

More than 57 thousand tons of diesel fuel were transported from Ulsan to Vladivostok by the tanker LAYLA. The customer was the Russian “Nezavisimaya Neftegazovaya Kompaniya”, which supplies fuel to the company “TZK-AERO”. The latter, under state contracts, meets the needs of the armed forces, the FSB and other military formations of the Russian Federation.

In August 2026, over 194,000 tons of gasoline from India, Turkey, and Morocco passed through the port of Vitino. The tankers GARNET, MANTA, TALISMAN, BEAST, and CHEM NIKOLAS delivered the supplies, most of which are under sanctions.

Despite the fact that in September 2024 the Russian government banned foreign and nuclear vessels from entering Vitino, the port continues to receive foreign fuel tankers.

In particular, GARNET delivered over 57 thousand tons of gasoline to the Vadinarsky refinery Nayara Energy, 49.13% of which is controlled by the sanctioned Rosneft. According to the GUR, the vessel received the cargo near Damietta through a ship-to-ship transfer with the tanker AGNI.

Another nearly 36.6 thousand tons of Nayara Energy gasoline was delivered to Vitino by TALISMAN on August 21. It received the cargo near Damietta through transshipment with the tanker PHOTON.

GARNET, TALISMAN and PHOTON are part of the fleet of the sanctioned Russian “Sovcomflot”.

The shadow fleet tankers that deliver fuel to Vitino are serviced by the Russian company Altoprae Marine, which is linked to former Gunvor managers Gennady Timchenko.

The company’s founder and director is Alexander Gordeev, who previously worked for Gunvor and Rosneftbunker. Altoprae Marine also services other vessels of the Russian shadow fleet, including EVENTIN and CORDELIA MOON.

The GUR notes that the Russian Federation is increasing imports of petroleum products against the backdrop of a domestic fuel crisis and using complex logistical routes through third countries.

Fuel is needed not only for the domestic market, but also for defense orders, army and front-line logistics, and supplies to the occupied territories of Ukraine, the Kaliningrad exclave, and remote regions of the Russian Federation.

Ukrainian intelligence calls on the international community to block the supply channels to Russia of gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel through third countries and to impose sanctions against vessels, companies, ports, terminals, and financial institutions involved in this logistics.

It was previously reported that Russia had imposed a complete ban on the export of diesel fuel, and planned to begin importing petroleum products from July.

Also follow “Pryamim” on Facebook , X , Telegram , and Instagram.