Russia Weighs Diesel Export Curbs After Refinery Drone Hits

By Bloomberg News

Sep 23, 2025 (Bloomberg) –Russia is weighing restrictions on diesel exports as a wave of Ukrainian drone strikes on its oil refineries forced the government to pay close attention to fuel supplies and prices at home. 

The potential measure would mainly target so-called resellers, companies that buy diesel inside Russia and then ship it abroad, people familiar with the government’s deliberations said, asking not to be identified because the matter isn’t public. That is different from Russian media reports suggesting a blanket halt on all diesel exports, including shipments by the country’s big refiners.

A ban limited to resellers would have less impact on global fuel markets than a full halt, since most of Russia’s diesel exports come directly from producers. Still, even a limited step would highlight the Kremlin’s careful management of energy flows when refinery output has already fallen by at least 7% amid a surge in Ukrainian drone attacks. 

The strikes have caused localized damage, limited oil-product exports and driven Russian fuel prices to records on the nation’s Spimex commodities exchange.

First Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin said on Tuesday that “any necessary measures to ensure the market is fully supplied will be taken,” according to Interfax. He said the government could adopt further restrictions if required, and confirmed that officials are also considering whether to extend an existing ban on gasoline exports, which is due to expire at the end of the month.

The pressure on Russia’s fuel system is visible in trade data. Shipments of petroleum products by sea fell sharply in early September, showing a steeper-than-usual seasonal decline compared with previous years. That drop reflects both the damage from attacks and the government’s moves to safeguard domestic supplies.

For global markets, the debate matters because Russia remains one of the world’s most important suppliers of diesel, a fuel essential for trucking, shipping, and agriculture. Any disruption — even if limited to resellers — signals fresh uncertainty for buyers already facing volatile prices and tighter supplies.

Russia might be reluctant to completely halt diesel supplies abroad. In 2023, a full diesel-export ban resulted in overstocking as some Russian facilities that are configured to export their diesel had trouble shipping it to the domestic market.

© 2025 Bloomberg L.P.

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