Russia’s fuel crisis: Kremlin prepares to import jet fuel from Asia after energy strikes
фото: Reuters
Russia is preparing to import a batch of Japanese-origin jet fuel amid a fuel crisis caused by Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure. The cargo is planned to be delivered to Russia via South Korea with the participation of several traders.
This is reported by Reuters .
At least 200,000 barrels of jet fuel are planned to be shipped from the Japanese city of Chiba in the first half of July, according to three sources familiar with the situation. The cargo will first be shipped to South Korea, then transferred to another tanker, likely via a side-by-side transfer near the port of Yeosu, and then sent to Russia.
The final destination of the cargo is currently unknown. Sources said that several traders are involved in the supply chain.
The Russian Energy Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. South Korea’s Ministry of Industry declined to comment, and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to the Kpler ship tracking system, the previous similar delivery to Russia took place in February 2022. Then, 22,000 barrels of aviation fuel were sent from Yeosu to Vladivostok.
As journalists note, the fuel crisis in Russia has worsened after Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and oil depots. As a result, the Russian authorities have imposed restrictions on fuel purchases, and representatives of the agricultural sector have warned of possible difficulties with harvesting.
According to Kpler, Russian jet fuel exports have fallen to about 13,000 barrels per day this year, mostly to Turkey. For comparison, Russia exported about 30,000 barrels of such fuel per day last year.
By the way, Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries are increasingly hitting the Russian fuel industry . Gasoline production has decreased significantly, and fuel problems are already affecting regions located thousands of kilometers from Ukraine.
Earlier, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on the results of strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces on military facilities of the Russian aggressor on June 18 and on the night of June 19, 2026. Among the targets hit were railway bridges in the temporarily occupied Crimea, military infrastructure, and the Moscow Oil Refinery.
As reported, the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck two fuel facilities in the Rostov region of the Russian Federation on the night of June 18. After the attack, fires broke out at the oil depot and the fuel and lubricants depot.
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